• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

LHP Willis goes for third straight win over Phillies

May 24, 2007 - 1:37 PM Philadelphia (23-23) at Florida (22-24) 7:05 pm EDT

MIAMI (Ticker) -- Florida Marlins ace Dontrelle Willis hopes to make it three straight wins against the Philadelphia Phillies in the series finale on Thursday.

In his two previous starts against the Phillies, Willis (6-3, 4.86 ERA) gave up eight runs and 16 hits in 12 1/3 innings but still managed to come away with wins. The lefthander is 8-5 with a 3.78 ERA in 18 lifetime outings vs. Philadelphia.

Willis ended his two-game slide, allowing two runs and five hits with seven strikeouts in seven innings of a 7-2 victory at Tampa Bay on Saturday.

Chase Utley drove in two runs and Abraham Nunez had the game-winning RBI in the 10th inning as the Phillies snapped the Marlins' four-game winning streak on Wednesday.

Philadelphia will counter with Jon Lieber (2-2, 3.00), who finally broke through for a win after three lackluster starts. The righthander gave up three runs in seven frames of a 5-3 win against Toronto.

Lieber has a 9-8 record with a 4.97 ERA in 22 starts against Florida, which won Tuesday's series opener, 5-3.

Phillies closer Brett Myers left Wednesday's triumph with a right shoulder strain in the ninth inning. He is not expected to be available on Thursday.