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Phillies-Braves Preview

Apr 22, 2010 - 3:55 AM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

Philadelphia (8-5) at Atlanta (8-5), 7:10 p.m. EDT

Although the Philadelphia Phillies managed to snap a losing streak, their potent offense is still scuffling. Facing Atlanta Braves staff ace Derek Lowe probably won't help.

In Thursday night's series finale in Atlanta, the Phillies again try to break out of their funk as they square off against Lowe, who hasn't lost to Philadelphia in nearly a dozen years.

The Phillies (9-5) averaged 7.7 runs while batting .315 with 15 homers in winning eight of their first 10 games, but this formidable lineup has cooled off considerably, plating six total runs while hitting .188 with one home run in the last four.

Philadelphia ended a three-game skid with a 2-0 win over the Braves (8-6) on Wednesday, but the offense had little to do with the victory.

Prized offseason acquisition Roy Holliday delivered another masterpiece - throwing a five-hitter for his first NL shutout - while lowering his ERA to 0.82.

While Holliday is cruising - winning each of the first four starts with his new team - Ryan Howard and Shane Victorino have suddenly fallen on hard times.

Howard is 2 for 16 in the last four games, while Victorino is 2 for 17. Neither appear to have a good chance of getting out of this slump against Lowe (3-0, 4.67 ERA).

Lowe has limited Howard to four hits in 25 career at-bats (.160), Victorino to two hits in 14 at-bats (.143) and has pretty much shut down the rest of Philadelphia's lineup as well.

The right-hander gave up three runs in 19 2-3 innings over three starts against the Phillies last season, and he is 6-0 with a 2.17 ERA in nine starts against them since 2005. His lone blemish came June 23, 1998, when he gave up three runs in six inning of a 3-2 loss for Boston.

Lowe has opened this season having won each of his first three starts for the first time in his career, but he hasn't been overly dominant in any of those outings.

He allowed five runs in beating Chicago on opening day, walked a career-high seven in a win over San Francisco on April 10 and yielded four runs and seven hits in 5 1-3 innings in Friday's 9-5 victory over Colorado. The sinkerballer has been aided by an offense that has backed him with a major league-best 10.9 runs per game of support.

This same offense was no match for Holliday, though.

Martin Prado, who came in batting .431, went hitless in four at-bats Wednesday, while rookie sensation Jason Heyward was 0 for 2.

"We're not going to have a Halladay against us every day," said Tim Hudson, Wednesday's tough-luck losing pitcher. "They had a little bit more luck than we did, and when you have a bit of luck and Halladay on your side, it's tough to beat."

Atlanta seems to have a better chance against Jamie Moyer (1-1, 7.50), who has allowed five runs in six innings in each of his first two starts. Against Florida on Saturday, the 47-year-old left-hander gave up six hits while striking out seven in a 5-1 loss.

Moyer went 1-1 with a 4.82 ERA in two games against the Braves last season, and is 3-4 with a 5.43 ERA in 10 games - nine starts - against them since being acquired by Philadelphia in 2006.