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Jul 2, 2010 - 4:05 AM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

Philadelphia (41-35) at Pittsburgh (27-51), 7:05 p.m. EDT

The Philadelphia Phillies' injury situation has gone from bad to worse.

That's not ideal for a team four games out of first place in the NL East.

The banged-up Phillies look to avoid a third consecutive defeat Friday night when they continue a four-game set against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Philadelphia (41-36) lost Thursday's opener at PNC Park 3-2 after learning Chase Utley probably won't return until September because of a damaged ligament in his right thumb.

Utley is one of seven Phillies on the disabled list - and that doesn't include backup catcher Brian Schneider, who left Thursday with a hyperextended left thumb. Schneider, taking the spot of the injured Carlos Ruiz, is hitting .313 with two homers and four RBIs in his last six games. He may not know until Friday if he will be sidelined.

"We've done it before when guys have gotten hurt. You can't just sit back when guys get hurt, you want to get rolling," Shane Victorino said. "That's why you call up other guys to fill in and go out there and do the job."

Utley's replacement Wilson Valdez had another strong game Thursday, homering for the second time in three days, but the heart of Philadelphia's lineup must step up to have any chance of catching division-leading Atlanta.

Jimmy Rollins is 2 for 17 in his last four games, Ryan Howard doesn't have an RBI in the last five and Jayson Werth has gone seven straight contests without driving in a run.

"It's been very disappointing. We're just not clicking, that's the key," said bench coach Pete Mackanin, who filled in as manager Thursday while Charlie Manuel served a one-game suspension. "We've just got to click for a week and I think we'll get on a roll, but we just haven't been clicking."

Rollins hopes to get back on track against scheduled starter Ross Ohlendorf (0-6, 4.90 ERA), against whom he's 3 for 5 with two homers and a double.

Ohlendorf, winless in 16 starts since beating Milwaukee on Aug. 18, didn't get a decision after he gave up two unearned runs and two hits in six innings of a 3-2 loss to Oakland on Sunday.

Pittsburgh's offense hasn't done much to help Ohlendorf, backing the right-hander with 2.37 runs per game.

Despite plating 10 runs in five games, the Pirates (28-51) are 3-2. They're trying to win three in a row for the first time since May 4-6.

Philadelphia hasn't lost three straight since June 10-12, and seems to have a good opportunity of bouncing back behind Jamie Moyer (9-6, 4.30).

Since being tagged for nine runs in a loss in Boston on June 11, Moyer has posted a 1.96 ERA in winning his last three starts. Against Toronto on Sunday, the 47-year-old left-hander allowed two runs and six hits while striking out seven in seven innings of an 11-2 victory.

Moyer earned his 267th career win, one shy of tying Jim Palmer for 34th on the all-time list.

Moyer also reached a couple of milestones. The 24-year veteran became the 40th pitcher to reach 4,000 innings and gave up his record-breaking 506th home run in the third, passing the mark held by former Phillies Hall of Famer Robin Roberts.

Moyer is 5-7 with a 5.47 ERA in 15 career starts against the Pirates, but has only faced them four times since 1992.

Ohlendorf recorded a 3.75 ERA without a decision in two starts against the Phillies last year.