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Phillies-Padres Preview

Aug 28, 2010 - 7:08 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Philadelphia (71-57) at San Diego (76-51), 4:10 p.m. EDT

A weekend in San Diego might be what the Philadelphia Phillies need to string together some wins.

Though the Padres have the best record in the NL, the Phillies look to continue their success against Jon Garland while trying for a sixth straight victory at Petco Park on Saturday afternoon.

After being swept by Houston at home in a four-game series, Philadelphia (71-57) bounced back with a 3-2, 12-inning win over the NL West-leading Padres on Friday night in a preview of a potential postseason matchup.

Placido Polanco singled home Jimmy Rollins with the go-ahead run for the Phillies in the opener of their seven-game trip. Philadelphia blew a one-run lead in the ninth after San Diego (76-51) tied the game when Brad Lidge balked with the bases loaded and two outs.

With their ninth victory in 10 games at San Diego, the Phillies moved one-half game up in the wild-card race and pulled within two of first-place Atlanta in the East.

Philadelphia remains in solid position for a postseason spot despite scoring 10 runs the last five games.

"There are disappointments," right fielder Jayson Werth told the Phillies' official website. "You're going to go through lulls. But in the back of our minds, there is ultimate confidence."

The Phillies have every reason to remain confident when facing Garland (13-8, 3.25 ERA). The veteran right-hander is 0-4 with a 7.94 ERA in five starts against them. He allowed six runs and 10 hits in seven innings of a 6-2 loss at Philadelphia on June 5.

Despite his struggles against the Phillies, Garland is 4-1 with a 2.01 ERA in August and has allowed two runs over 18 1-3 innings while winning his last three starts. He had his 21-inning scoreless streak snapped after giving up those two runs in 5 1-3 innings of a 7-3 win at Milwaukee on Sunday.

Rollins, who is 2 for 11 against Garland, went 3 for 5 on Friday after going 0 for 8 in his previous two games. Polanco is 10 for 23 against the Padres this season, and a lifetime .390 hitter versus Garland.

After Roy Oswalt went eight strong innings in the opener, Joe Blanton (5-6, 5.32) tries for another solid start when he takes the ball for the Phillies on Saturday.

The right-hander is 2-0 with a 3.55 ERA in six starts, including 1-0 with a 2.03 ERA in his last two. He allowed a run and struck out nine in seven innings of a 3-2 loss to Houston on Monday.

Blanton, 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA in three starts versus San Diego, gave up five runs and 11 hits in five innings of a 6-5, 10-inning home loss to the Padres on June 6.

San Diego's Adrian Gonzalez went 0 for 4 on Friday but is 6 for 13 with two home runs against Blanton.

Versatile San Diego veteran Jerry Hairston Jr. will go on the disabled list Saturday with a strained ligament in his right elbow. The Padres said Hairston won't need surgery but it will likely take two to three weeks to heal.

The Padres, who have lost two straight and five in 18 games, own a six-game lead over San Francisco in the West.

"We've been playing hard, we've been playing loose," Padres manager Bud Black said.