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Moyer, Phillies look to gain ground in wild card race

Aug 24, 2007 - 2:23 PM San Diego (68-58) at Philadelphia (66-60) 7:05 pm EDT

PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) - The Philadelphia Phillies may not be gaining ground in the division race, but the wild card is well within their reach.

Jamie Moyer takes the hill as the Phillies try and gain ground in the wild card race when they open a three-game series with the San Diego Padres on Friday.

Philadelphia lost for the fourth time in five games, 5-2 to Los Angeles on Thursday, as Tom Gordon and J.C. Romero combined to allow four runs in one-plus inning.

With the loss the Phillies (66-60) fell two games behind the Padres (68-58) in the wild card race, but remained five games behind the New York Mets (72-53) in the National League East. That is because Adrian Gonzalez helped the Padres beat the Mets, 9-8, on Thursday by blasting a solo homer in the 10th off Aaron Heilman.

Moyer (11-9, 4.97 ERA), who is 3-0 with a 1.86 ERA in his last three starts here, will try and provide a little rest for a bullpen that has allowed 17 runs and 32 hits in its last 17 2/3 innings. The 44-year-old Moyer struggled in his last outing, allowing eight runs and nine hits in four-plus innings in a 11-6 loss to Pittsburgh.

Greg Maddux (9-9, 3.90) takes the hill for San Diego looking for his season-high third straight win. Maddux, who is 2-1 with a 1.53 ERA in his last three starts, allowed one run and two hits in six innings of a 5-3 win over Houston on Sunday to notch career win No. 342.