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Braves, Phillies jockey for position in divisional showdown

Aug 10, 2007 - 2:06 PM Atlanta (61-54) at Philadelphia (60-54) 7:35 pm EDT

PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- The Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies are both chasing the New York Mets in the National League East, but they will beat up on each other for the next three games.

Cole Hamels takes the mound as the Phillies face off with Chuck James and the Braves in Friday's opener of the weekend series.

Philadelphia saw its three-game winning streak come to an end Thursday, as closer Brett Myers came into a tie game in the ninth inning, loaded the bases and allowed RBI groundouts to Alfredo Amezega and Hanley Ramirez in a 4-2 loss.

Hamels (12-5, 3.57 ERA) will try and help the Phillies get over the tough loss against the Braves. The 24-year-old lefthander is 2-0 with a 3.10 ERA in three starts against Atlanta this season.

Hamels received a no-decision in his last start as he allowed four runs and seven hits in seven innings in a 6-5 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday.

Philadelphia, which trails New York (64-50) by four games, should be in good shape with the young lefthander on the mound considering the fact that it has won six of his last seven starts here.

Meanwhile, James (9-8, 3.84) takes the mound for Atlanta, which used a three-run homer from Chipper Jones and a pair of big catches from left fielder Willie Harris to post a 7-6 victory over New York and close within 3 1/2 games of first.

James, who is 2-0 in five career appearances - four starts - against the Phillies, allowed four runs and six hits in five-plus innings but did not figure in a 6-5 win over the Colorado Rockies on Sunday.