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Glavine, Mets can move closer to division title

Sep 14, 2007 - 1:45 PM Philadelphia (77-69) at NY Mets (83-62), 7:10 pm EDT

FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) -- Tom Glavine and the New York Mets can taste a division title.

Glavine and the Mets look to move closer the playoffs when they open a three-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday.

After a 4-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves (74-72) on Wednesday, New York saw its magic number for clinching the National League East division drop to 11 games with 17 to play.

The Mets, who have won five of six and nine of 11, can potentially shave six games off their magic number this weekend.

Glavine (13-6, 3.95 ERA) hasn't lost since July 2 and has six wins during that span.

However, the future Hall of Famer is only 4-7 in 17 career outings against Philadelphia - including a 2-5 mark in nine starts here.

The Phillies, who trail the Mets by 6 1/2 games, hand the ball to Jamie Moyer (13-11, 5.23), who has alternated wins and losses in his last four starts.

The veteran lefthander earned an 8-5 win over Florida on Sunday, giving up five runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings. It was the fourth time in his last five starts Moyer has yielded at least four runs in an outing.

A 21-year veteran like Glavine, Moyer is 6-3 lifetime against the Mets, including 3-3 at Shea Stadium.

Philadelphia has won five straight against New York and leads the season series 9-6.