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Phillies try to stay on winning track vs. Padres

Jun 11, 2014 - 2:41 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Philadelphia Phillies shoot for a series win over the San Diego Padres Wednesday night in the middle contest of a three-game set at Citizens Bank Park.

The Phillies haven't won a series since taking two of three versus the Colorado Rockies from May 26-28 and won Tuesday's opener with the Padres, 5-2. Marlon Byrd hit a three-run homer and finished with four RBI, while Ben Revere, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard finished with two hits apiece.

Phillies starting pitcher A.J. Burnett limited the Padres to a pair of runs and three hits in 7 1/3 innings for the win.

"It's good to get home," Burnett said. "To come out like we did, I always harp on setting the tone, and it feels good to be able to do that. It's a good start to the series."

Closer Jonathan Papelbon nailed down the 300th save in his career despite allowing two hits in the ninth and tied Hall of Famer Bruce Sutter and Jason Isringhausen for 24th on the all-time saves list. Papelbon also tied Trevor Hoffman (552 games) as the second-fastest player to reach 300 saves. Mariano Rivera is first with 537 games.

In other milestone news for the Phillies, shortstop Jimmy Rollins went 1-for-4 Tuesday and is now four hits shy of passing Mike Schmidt for the most hits in team history (2,234).

The Phillies won for just the second time in the last 10 games and will also host the Chicago Cubs on this six-game homestand.

Taking the mound for the Phils Wednesday will be left-hander Cole Hamels. Hamels won his last start on Friday in an 8-0 win at Cincinnati and threw 7 2/3 shutout innings, striking out seven and walking two. The Phillies scored eight runs in his previous three starts combined.

Hamels is 2-3 with a 3.49 earned run average and 2-1 in his last three decisions. He has fared well in his career against the Padres, going 8-2 with a 2.39 ERA in 14 starts.

San Diego opened an eight-game road trip last night and Ian Kennedy was dealt the loss for giving up all five runs in seven innings. Byrd's three-run homer in a four-run fourth inning was enough to send Kennedy to his seventh loss (5-7). The right-hander struck out three and did not walk a batter.

"A three-run homer is a death blow a lot of times to a pitcher and to a game," Padres manager Bud Black said.

Will Venable homered and finished with two hits for the Padres, who have lost two straight, three of four and six of their last eight games.

The Padres will try to even this series with Tyson Ross on the mound Wednesday and he has a 6-5 record to go along with a 3.22 earned run average. Ross lost his last start on Friday in a 6-0 defeat versus Washington and gave up six runs -- five earned -- in 5 1/3 innings. He is 1-2 in last three decisions.

Ross, a right-hander, is 3-2 in six away starts and 0-1 with an 18.00 ERA in three lifetime meetings (1 start) against the Phillies. He has only pitched three total innings in this series, allowing six runs and six hits.

Philadelphia won four of six meetings with San Diego last season. Since 2004, the Phillies are 47-20 against the Padres and 14-3-3 in 20 series (6 sweeps) between the clubs over that span. Philadelphia has not lost a series to San Diego since Aug. 24-26, 2007 (1-2).