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Phillies open 10-game homestand against Dodgers

Aug 21, 2007 - 2:42 PM La Dodgers (64-60) at Philadelphia (65-58) 7:05 pm EDT

PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) - The Philadelphia Phillies will look to gain ground in the National League playoff race when they open a 10-game homestand with a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday.

The Phillies enter Tuesday tied with the Atlanta Braves (66-59) for second place in the National League East, five games behind the New York Mets (70-53). Philadelphia and Atlanta are also one game back of the San Diego Padres (66-57) in the wild card race.

The Dodgers are right behind Philadelphia in the wild card race, 2 1/2 games back of the Padres. Los Angeles is in third place in the NL West, 6 1/2 games back of the streaking Arizona Diamondbacks (71-54).

Brett Tomko (2-10, 5.67 ERA) will look to break his three game losing streak when he takes the mound for the Dodgers on Tuesday. Tomko's last win came against the San Francisco Giants on July 15 when he allowed three runs on four hits over five innings en route a 5-3 victory.

Tomko has not faced the Phillies this season, and is 5-4 with a 5.21 ERA in 14 games - 13 starts - against Philadelphia in his career.

Rookie Kyle Kendrick (5-3, 3.94) will look to snap a losing streak of his own when he toes the rubber for the Phillies. Kendrick is 0-2 in his last three starts, despite allowing just eight runs over that span. During his last outing, Kendrick allowed four runs on seven hits over 5 2/3 innings as Philadelphia lost, 5-2, to the Washington Nationals on Wednesday.

Kendrick faced the Dodgers once this season. He surrendered five runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings as the Phillies fell, 5-4, on July 18.