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Lieber, Phillies look to continue playoff push vs. Nationals

Sep 28, 2006 - 1:02 PM Philadelphia (83-75) at Washington (70-88) 7:05 pm EDT

WASHINGTON (Ticker) - The Philadelphia Phillies are coming off one of their biggest wins of the season. On Thursday, they hope to use the momentum to continue their playoff push.

Jon Lieber will take the mound for the Phillies in the finale of a three-game series against the Washington Nationals.

On Wednesday, Jimmy Rollins ripped a two-run triple in the 14th inning and Philadelphia held on for a crucial 8-7 victory over the Nationals.

The Phillies, who had lost their previous two games, are one game behind the Los Angles Dodgers in the National League wild card race with four games remaining. The Dodgers posted a 6-4 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday.

Philadelphia had one-run leads in the ninth and 10th but allowed the Nationals to tie the game each time. Closer Tom Gordon squandered the lead in the ninth, walking in the tying run, and Geoff Geary allowed a run and two hits in the 10th after Abraham Nunez gave the Phillies a 6-5 lead with an RBI single in the top of the frame.

After Philadelphia's bullpen was depleted in Wednesday's 14-inning marathon, Lieber (9-10, 4.92 ERA) will look to give the Phillies some innings. He has pitched seven or more frames in three of his five starts this month.

The righthander is 3-1 with a 4.20 ERA in his September starts.

He will be opposed by Michael O'Connor (3-8, 5.04), who is 0-1 with a 4.60 ERA in four games - three starts - since returning from an elbow injury on September 6. The 26-year-old O'Connor had been sidelined since July 29 with the injury.

In his last outing, the lefthander did not pitch well, allowing six runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings, striking out five and walking one in a 12-6 loss to the New York Mets on Saturday.

The Phillies have won six of their last eight, while the Nationals are 5-3 during that span.