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Phillies-Diamondbacks Preview

Jul 29, 2009 - 7:24 PM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Philadelphia (58-40) at Arizona (43-58), 9:40 p.m. EDT

J.A. Happ has had a stellar season for the Philadelphia Phillies. He'll apparently be able to finish it with the defending World Series champions.

After not being included in a trade for Cleveland ace Cliff Lee, Happ looks to bounce back from his first loss of the season as the Phillies (58-40) go for a three-game sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday night.

Happ (7-1, 2.97 ERA) was rumored to be part of any trade involving Lee or Blue Jays right-hander Roy Halladay. Lee was acquired Wednesday, but Philadelphia got him for four prospects and outfielder Ben Francisco.

The uncertainty over his status may have been a distraction for Happ on Friday, when he allowed five runs and 10 hits while striking out six in six innings of an 8-1 loss to St. Louis.

"I'm trying not to worry about it," Happ told the Phillies' official Web site before the Lee trade. "I try not to, but I'm human, so it crosses my mind. Once I'm here and trying to do my thing, I don't think about it."

Happ, who suffered his second career loss and first in 32 appearances dating to his winning debut June 30, 2007, is 5-1 with a 3.10 ERA in 12 starts this season.

"I never thought I wasn't (human)," Happ said of finally losing. "It was a good run. I'm looking forward to next time, trying to keep us in the game."

Facing Arizona (43-58) for the first time, Happ looks to help Philadelphia to a fifth straight victory after a 4-3 win Tuesday.

Shane Victorino homered and drove in two runs as the Phillies improved to a major league-best 19-5 in July and 31-15 overall on the road.

"We're on a pretty good run right now," Phillies second baseman Chase Utley said. "We're playing with a lot of confidence."

So is Victorino, who's batting .392 with three homers and 14 RBIs in 24 games this month. The All-Star center fielder is 4 for 5 with two triples and two RBIs against Arizona's scheduled starter Yusmeiro Petit (0-5, 7.68), who has a 15.88 ERA in four relief appearances against the Phillies, but is making his first start versus them in this contest.

In his ninth start of the season, the right-hander allowed six runs and nine hits while striking out six in 4 1-3 innings of a 10-3 loss to Pittsburgh on Friday.

"He was unable to make a first pitch for a strike. That's what hurt us. You have to work ahead in the count," Diamondbacks catcher Miguel Montero said of Petit, who is 0-7 with an 8.14 ERA in his last 11 starts since beating Florida on Aug. 23.

Mark Reynolds homered in his third straight game Tuesday for the Diamondbacks, who are 3-3 on a seven-game homestand.

Reynolds, who matched a career high with 28 homers, is batting .413 (19 for 46) with four home runs and six RBIs during a 12-game hitting streak.