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Phillies-Padres Preview

Aug 27, 2010 - 3:32 AM By MIKE LIPKA STATS Writer

Philadelphia (70-56) at San Diego (76-49), 10:05 p.m. EDT

The Philadelphia Phillies arrive in San Diego with a sputtering offense and a four-game losing streak, both of which may be difficult to shake against Mat Latos and the first-place Padres.

San Diego sends its 22-year-old ace to the mound as it tries to bounce back from a blowout loss Friday night against the Phillies, who appear to have bigger problems as they begin a seven-game road trip.

Philadelphia (70-57) totaled seven runs while losing four straight to visiting Houston this week, slipping three games behind first-place Atlanta in the NL East and one-half game behind wild card-leading San Francisco following Thursday's 5-1 defeat.

"We say we're resilient," manager Charlie Manuel said. "We have to come out of it."

Although All-Stars Chase Utley and Ryan Howard have returned from the disabled list for the two-time reigning NL champions, the Phillies have still scored two or fewer runs in seven of eight games.

Howard has gone 3 for 24 without an extra-base hit since recovering from an ankle injury, while Utley is batting .235 in nine games following his return from right thumb surgery.

It likely won't get much easier against the NL-leading Padres (76-50), who have a major league-best 3.30 ERA and a six-game lead in the NL West despite an 11-5 loss to Arizona on Thursday.

Latos (13-5, 2.33 ERA) has anchored San Diego's staff, pitching like a Cy Young Award candidate in his first full season.

Since a 3-2 loss to Roy Halladay and the Phillies on June 4, the right-hander has allowed two or fewer runs in a franchise-record 12 consecutive starts, needing one more to match Florida's Josh Johnson for the longest such run in the majors this season.

Latos is 8-1 with a 1.53 ERA during his streak, but the Padres are hoping to limit his innings down the stretch. The 22-year-old hasn't pitched since last Thursday, when he allowed two runs in seven innings while striking out a career-high 10 in a 5-3 win over the Cubs.

"We mentioned you might see (extra rest) in the second half," Padres manager Bud Black told MLB.com. "He's been going at it hard the last number of starts. He's doing fine, his arm feels good."

Philadelphia's Roy Oswalt (9-13, 3.22) comprises the other half of an intriguing pitching matchup.

The right-hander, who was acquired before the trade deadline from the Astros, has posted a 1.29 ERA while winning his last three starts. He limited Washington to five hits - all singles - in seven innings of a 6-0 win Sunday.

Oswalt said he's enjoying being a part of a pennant race after pitching on mediocre Houston teams in recent years.

"When you're playing at the end of the season, it's not near as intense as trying to get back into the postseason," said Oswalt, who played left field in the Phillies' 4-2, 16-inning loss to the Astros on Tuesday after Howard was ejected and Manuel ran out of position players.

Oswalt has gone 10-2 with a 2.56 ERA in his career against San Diego, including a 1.90 ERA in eight outings - seven starts - at San Diego.

The Phillies have won eight of nine at Petco Park, including a three-game sweep June 1-3, 2009. But the Padres have been tough to beat at home lately, winning 14 of 18 there.