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Phillies-Diamondbacks Preview

Apr 25, 2010 - 4:54 AM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

Philadelphia (10-6) at Arizona (7-9), 4:10 p.m. EDT

The Philadelphia Phillies aren't exactly hitting the ball well, but it might not matter if the Arizona Diamondbacks can't find a reliever who can consistently record outs.

The NL East-leading Phillies look to win their fourth straight series over the Diamondbacks on Sunday when the teams finish a three-game set at Chase Field.

After opening the season with five straight games recording double-digit hits - the first time it accomplished that feat since 1926 - Philadelphia (11-6) has had 10 or more hits just three times in its last 12 contests.

The Phillies are batting .214 in the first two games of this series after going 6 for 33 in Saturday's 3-2 win. Two of those hits, though, were solo homers by Jayson Werth, including a go-ahead shot in the ninth off Diamondbacks reliever Juan Gutierrez.

"Today was just one of those days where I got the ball up in the air a little bit, and it happened to be a good day," said Werth, who is 10 for 20 with six homers in his last five games against Arizona (7-10).

Werth's homer in the second was the team's first in 46 innings - the Phillies' longest such drought in four seasons.

Former NL MVP Ryan Howard, who led the league in homers in 2006 and 2008, has not hit the ball out of the yard in the last 12 games and is hitless in eight at-bats in this series.

Howard may have a good chance to end both of those droughts. He's 3 for 5 with a homer against former teammate Rodrigo Lopez (1-0, 3.50 ERA), who will start the series finale for Arizona.

The right-hander, who went 3-1 with a 5.70 ERA for the Phillies in 2009, did not receive a decision in his last start - Monday's 4-2 loss to St. Louis. Lopez allowed two runs in a season-high seven innings and left with the game tied. Arizona's bullpen allowed two runs in the final two frames.

"It's frustrating," Lopez told the Diamondbacks' official website. "It's frustrating to lose late in the game."

With a 6.99 ERA, Arizona's bullpen has been a frequent source of frustration.

"I don't know how to explain it," manager A.J. Hinch said. "We've seen glimpses of good but have not put it together on a day-to-day basis."

Philadelphia right-hander Kyle Kendrick (0-0, 7.24) can relate to the feeling of being let down by the relievers. Making his third straight start for the injured Joe Blanton (strained oblique) on Tuesday, Kendrick went a career high-tying eight innings and allowed no runs and four hits. The effort went for naught, as the Phillies fell 4-3 to Atlanta in 10 innings after the bullpen let four runs cross.

Kendrick has no decisions and a 5.11 ERA in two starts against Arizona.

Diamondbacks second baseman Kelly Johnson hit a two-run homer Saturday after hitting a pair out of the park in Friday's 7-4 series-opening win. Johnson has six homers this season - two shy of his total in 202 at-bats for Atlanta in 2009.

Arizona is trying to win its first series at home against Philadelphia since taking two of three May 7-9, 2007.