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Phillies-Marlins Preview

Sep 15, 2010 - 4:03 AM By MATT BROWN STATS Editor

Philadelphia (84-61) at Florida (73-70), 7:10 p.m. EDT

Roy Halladay is glad to be pitching in September games that matter.

The Philadelphia Phillies are just as pleased to have him pitching in those games.

Halladay seeks to become the NL's first 19-game winner and help the surging Phillies complete a three-game road sweep of the Florida Marlins on Wednesday night.

Halladay's career has been long on individual excellence, with 166 wins, seven All-Star appearances and the 2003 AL Cy Young Award, but short on team success. Toiling in Toronto for his first 12 seasons, he never reached the postseason while stuck behind Boston, the Yankees and eventually ascendant Tampa Bay in the powerful AL East.

That may be about to change. In his first season in Philadelphia, Halladay (18-10, 2.44 ERA) is a big reason why the Phillies (85-61) hold a two-game NL East lead over Atlanta - their largest lead since May 26. He's finding the feel of a pennant race refreshing.

"You look forward to coming to the field every day. You're not packing boxes," Halladay said. "It's a lot of fun."

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel also seems to be having fun, and admits to a little scoreboard watching of Atlanta.

"You can't help but see it," Manuel said. "It's sitting right there in front of you. It's all right as long as they're losing. When they've got a big lead, it's not good."

In addition to becoming the first NL pitcher to 19 wins, with a victory Wednesday, Halladay would also become the first Philadelphia pitcher to win 19 since John Denny finished 19-6 in his Cy Young season of 1983.

Halladay didn't have his best stuff Friday, allowing four runs over 7 2-3 innings, but he helped his own cause with a two-run single in an 8-4 victory at the New York Mets. It marked the 53rd consecutive road start in which the right-hander lasted at least six innings - the longest such streak in the majors since Walter Johnson did so in 82 straight road outings from 1911-15.

Halladay is 3-1 with a 1.13 ERA in four starts against the Marlins (73-71) this season, including his perfect game at Florida on May 29. He returned to Sun Life Stadium on Aug. 3, allowing one run and five hits in seven innings of a 6-1 victory.

He'll try to lead the Phillies to a series sweep and their eighth win in nine games overall. After routing the Marlins 11-4 in Monday's series opener, Philadelphia pulled out a 2-1 win Tuesday behind 6 2-3 strong innings from Cole Hamels. Shane Victorino went 2 for 4 with a walk and scored both runs as the Phillies won despite going 0 for 11 with runners in scoring position.

Florida has dropped five of eight, with all five losses coming against the Phillies.

This contest originally projected as a pitchers' duel between Halladay and Marlins ace Josh Johnson, but Johnson was shut down for the season last week with back and shoulder discomfort. In his place, the Marlins will use a committee of relievers beginning with Jorge Sosa (2-2, 5.82).

A right-handed journeyman, Sosa has made 15 appearances out of the bullpen for Florida this season, but also has 88 career starts under his belt. Twenty of those starts came for Atlanta in 2005, when he enjoyed a career year with a 13-3 record and 2.55 ERA.

Sosa is 4-2 with a 3.66 ERA in 23 appearances - five starts - versus Philadelphia.