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Phillies-Marlins Preview

Jul 17, 2009 - 4:22 AM By BRETT HUSTON STATS Writer

Philadelphia (48-38) at Florida (46-44), 7:10 p.m. EDT

The Philadelphia Phillies ended the first half as baseball's hottest team at home, and began the second half looking like what they've been all season - the best road club in the major leagues.

The Phillies will try to win their seventh in a row overall and move 13 games above .500 on the road Friday night when they face the Florida Marlins, their closest pursuers in the NL East.

Philadelphia (49-38) struggled at home in the first half, but a 9-1 homestand heading into the All-Star break gave it a four-game lead over the Marlins.

That cushion reached five Thursday, when the Phillies got two home runs from Raul Ibanez and the 200th homer of Ryan Howard's career while one-hitting Florida in a 4-0 win.

Howard reached the 200-homer milestone in fewer games (658) than any player in history, topping the record previously held by Ralph Kiner (706).

"It's a nice feat," said Howard, batting .379 (11 for 29) with four homers and seven RBIs against the Marlins. "It's a nice record to have. I'll take it and run with it."

The victory gave Philadelphia its second six-game winning streak of 2009, one shy of its season high set from May 29-June 4. It also gave the Phillies a 27-15 road mark, achieved despite a 3-6 record on their most recent trip.

"We finished the first half the way we wanted," Howard said. "It's important to get off to a good start in the second half."

Ibanez was batting .182 with two RBIs in six games against Florida before hitting a solo homer and a two-run shot Thursday. The homers were his first since returning Saturday from a three-week stint on the disabled list due to a strained groin.

Injuries were a problem earlier this season for Cole Hamels (5-5, 4.87 ERA), but lately he's been struggling despite being healthy.

The 2008 World Series MVP went 1-3 with a 5.53 ERA in his last seven starts, narrowing avoiding his fourth loss in that stretch Saturday because of a stunning Philadelphia comeback. Hamels gave up five runs and seven hits - three homers - over six innings to Pittsburgh, getting bailed out when his teammates rallied for four runs in the ninth inning of an 8-7 win.

Philadelphia has lost Hamels' last five starts against the Marlins, with the left-hander going 0-3 with a 4.76 ERA.

Florida first baseman Jorge Cantu is 3 for 13 (.231) against Hamels, but all three hits were home runs.

The Marlins (46-45) had won 10 of 11 at home prior to their one-hit effort Thursday, a run powered largely by their rotation. Florida starters went 7-1 with a 2.71 ERA, highlighted by their final home victory before the All-Star break, a 5-0 win over Pittsburgh in which Ricky Nolasco (6-7, 5.76) allowed three hits and struck out 12 over eight innings.

That was Nolasco's fourth straight win, but his streak ended last Friday at Arizona. The right-hander gave up seven runs - all in the first four innings - and nine hits over six innings of an 8-0 loss.

Nolasco hasn't faced the Phillies this season, but was 3-1 with a 2.96 ERA in four starts versus Philadelphia in 2008.

Howard has three hits - all homers - in 13 at-bats against Nolasco.