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Phillies-Blue Jays Preview

Jun 26, 2009 - 5:28 AM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

Philadelphia (37-32) at Toronto (40-33), 7:07 p.m. EDT

The standings show the Philadelphia Phillies in first place, but they're sure not playing like it.

The slumping Phillies look to snap a five-game losing streak to the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night when they open a three-game interleague set at Rogers Centre.

Coupled with the New York Mets' 3-2 win over St. Louis earlier in the day, Philadelphia's NL East lead was trimmed to one-half game after losing to Tampa Bay 10-4 on Thursday night. The Phillies (37-33) jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning, but they had just three hits in the final eight innings.

"Their pitcher (Andy Sonnanstine) hung in there and he held us," said Phillies manager Charlie Manuel, whose team has dropped 10 of 12.

The Phillies, who still have a major league-best 24-11 road record, will again not start slumping shortstop Jimmy Rollins after benching him Thursday.

"We've got to get him feeling right," Manuel said of Rollins, who is mired in an 0-for-19 slump and batting just .211.

Cole Hamels (4-3, 4.24 ERA) takes the mound as the Phillies look for their first win over Toronto since a 10-3 victory on May 16, 2008. Hamels' start was moved up from Saturday so he could make an additional appearance before the All-Star break.

The left-hander struck out a season-high 10 and walked none in eight innings, but the Phillies lost 2-1 to Baltimore. Philadelphia has lost Hamel's last two starts after winning his previous five.

"I think the key is we're in first place," Hamels said after his 110-pitch outing. "We're fortunate everyone in the NL East is playing really bad."

Hamels makes his second career start versus Toronto. On June 16, Hamels gave up two runs and seven hits over six innings in an 8-3, 10-inning loss.

The Blue Jays won the following two days at Citizens Bank Park for their first-ever series sweep against Philadelphia.

Toronto (40-34) had its three-game winning streak snapped with Thursday's 7-5 loss to Cincinnati. Making his sixth career start, rookie left-hander Brett Cecil allowed four first-inning runs and lasted just three innings.

Left-hander Ricky Romero, though, has pitched well lately. The 24-year-old rookie is 2-1 with a 2.96 ERA in his last four starts. In Sunday's 9-4 win at Washington, Romero (4-3, 3.59) surrendered two runs and eight hits over seven innings.

"After the sixth inning, I actually went up to (pitching coach Brad Arnsberg) Arnie and Cito and said, 'Let me go one more. I think I have enough in the tank,"' Romero said.

Against Hamels and Philadelphia on June 16, Romero gave up three runs in seven innings and struck out a season-high nine.

Former Phillie Scott Rolen looks to extend his hitting streak to a career-high 15 games. Rolen batted .281 with 164 home runs and 603 RBIs for Philadelphia from 1996-2002.

In 28 career games against the Phillies, Rolen is hitting .340. He went 6 for 14 with a homer and four RBIs in the sweep at Philadelphia last week.

Aaron Hill matched his career high of 17 homers with a solo shot against the Reds. Hill is batting .400 (10 for 25) with three home runs and seven RBIs in his last seven games at Rogers Centre.

Phillies closer Brad Lidge was activated from the disabled list (sprained right knee) Thursday but did not pitch.

This is the first meeting in Toronto between these two clubs since the Blue Jays took two of three from June 30-July 2, 2006.