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Giants-Phillies Preview

Aug 17, 2010 - 7:09 PM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

San Francisco (67-52) at Philadelphia (66-51), 7:05 p.m. EDT

The addition of Roy Oswalt is starting to pay dividends for the Philadelphia Phillies. Two more additions to the lineup this week could be just as key.

Chase Utley will return to face the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday night and Ryan Howard could be back during this three-game series, which begins with Oswalt looking to build on his first win with the Phillies.

Utley was activated from the disabled list Tuesday, at least a week earlier than expected after tearing a thumb ligament June 28. The five-time All-Star second baseman should be in the lineup for this game, less than seven weeks after undergoing surgery.

Batting .277 with 11 homers and 37 RBIs, Utley comes back as the Phillies (66-51) are within 2 1/2 games of Atlanta for the NL East lead. They did fairly well without him, going 26-17 - a record that includes a 9-3 mark since Howard went on the DL with soreness in his left ankle.

Though he's eligible to be activated Tuesday, Howard's ankle is still sore and he's not expected to return until later in the week at the earliest. He leads the team with 23 homers and 81 RBIs.

While the Phillies have been concerned with Howard and Utley's health, Oswalt (7-13, 3.34 ERA) might be easing any worries about settling in with his new club.

The right-hander was acquired in a four-player trade from Houston on July 29, but needed three starts to get his first win for Philadelphia and he did it in impressive fashion.

Oswalt allowed five hits with five strikeouts in seven innings of a 2-0 win over Los Angeles on Wednesday. He had been 0-1 with a 4.38 ERA in his two previous outings.

"I felt real good with my mechanics (Wednesday)," Oswalt said. "I felt strong. I was able to use my lower half most of the night to kind of carry me through."

Oswalt is 0-3 with a 3.15 ERA in three starts against the Giants this season, but those came with Houston and he was backed by only two total runs.

He'll be matched up with Barry Zito (8-6, 3.44) as this series between the NL wild-card leaders gets underway. Philadelphia is one percentage point ahead of San Francisco (67-52).

The Phillies, winners of 18 of 23 after beating New York 3-1 on Sunday, are beginning a 10-game homestand, and they've won 15 of 17 at Citizens Bank Park.

Philadelphia is 12-4 in its last 16 home meetings with the Giants but dropped two of three at San Francisco from April 26-28.

The Giants' rotation hasn't won a game since Aug. 3 by Jonathan Sanchez, who will start the series finale Thursday. Since Sanchez's victory, the starters are 0-7 with a 5.88 ERA in 12 games, with the club managing wins in five.

The offense of the second-place Giants also sputtered over the weekend, hitting .200 as they dropped two of three at home to NL West-leading San Diego.

San Francisco has scored just nine runs and batted .175 in its last five road games, losing four.

Zito is 0-4 with a 5.73 ERA in eight road starts since a 3-2 win at Florida on May 5.

The left-hander hasn't received much help in his last two, getting one total run of support while going 0-1 with a 2.51 ERA. He's won only once in his last 11 outings overall while getting an average of 2.3 runs of support.

He's won both of his starts at Philadelphia behind a 1.50 ERA, with the most recent coming June 4, 2007.

Zito wasn't sharp at home Wednesday, giving up four runs and 10 hits - two homers - in 6 1-3 innings while not getting a decision in a 5-4 win over Chicago.