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Skidding Phils turn to Halladay in finale with Mets

Sep 25, 2011 - 2:51 PM (Sports Network) - A model of consistency, Roy Halladay has been a workhorse for Philadelphia this season and today aims to end the team's longest skid in over ten years.

The hitting for the Phillies has struggled since clinching the NL East title last Saturday. Yesterday's doubleheader sweep at the hands of the Mets moved the slide for Charlie Manuel's club to eight games, the longest for the Phillies since 2000 when they dropped eight in a row from Aug. 29-Sept. 6, 2000. They haven't lost nine consecutive games since Sept. 4-14, 1999, an 11- game slide.

The offense for the Phillies has been horrendous of late. They've scored more than three runs just twice since Sept. 10. They didn't get a hit off R.A. Dickey until the seventh inning yesterday in the opener of the twinbill and lost 2-1 on David Wright's RBI double in the eighth. In the night contest, the Mets scored five times in the third inning, aided by a Hunter Pence dropped fly ball, and won, 6-3.

"It's nice to see," Mets catcher Josh Thole said of the DH sweep. "We could lay down and just take our beating."

The Phillies now hold the distinction of owning the longest losing streak in major league history by a team that had already won at least 98 games.

"Our team is out of sync, definitely out of focus," Manuel said.

Halladay hopes to finally put a stop to the skid today in the finale of a three-game set, as the All-Star right-hander tries to bounce back from a rare loss. He threw eight innings in a 4-3 defeat to the Cardinals on Monday. Halladay, who leads the National League with eight complete games this season, two more than teammate Cliff Lee, is 8-2 with a 3.13 ERA in 10 games against the Mets.

Mike Pelfrey has just one win in his last 11 outings (1-3). The righty gave up 10 hits and five runs over six innings in a no-decision to the Cardinals on Tuesday. He's 7-6 with a 5.08 ERA in 18 starts vs. the Phillies.

The Phillies' 46 road wins this year are tied for third-most for a single season all-time in club history (also done in 1964). The franchise's high mark is 48 victories done in both the 1976 and 2009 seasons.

Philadelphia is 10-7 versus New York this season.