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Surging Phillies set to face struggling Pirates

Apr 25, 2008 - 1:38 PM Philadelphia (12-11) at Pittsburgh (9-13) 7:05 pm EDT

PITTSBURGH (Ticker) - The Philadelphia Phillies will be looking for their fifth win in six games when they visit the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday.

Led by the superior play of second baseman Chase Utley, the Phillies have pulled above .500 for the second time this season.

Utley is batting .486 (18-for-37) with seven home runs and 12 RBI during his current nine-game hitting streak. He had three hits and scored a run Thursday in support of veteran lefthander Jamie Moyer, who pitched six strong innings to lead Philadelphia to a 3-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Pirates fell, 6-2, to the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday and have lost seven of their last nine games overall. Pittsburgh failed to generate much offense against Joel Pineiro and has managed just 18 runs total in its past seven setbacks.

Zach Duke (0-1, 4.37 ERA) will try to turn it around for the Pirates on Friday. The lefthander suffered his first loss of the season Sunday at Chicago when he allowed five runs and eight hits in four innings against the Chicago Cubs.

The 25-year-old yielded only three total earned runs in first two starts while striking out seven batters, but has failed to notch a strikeout in either of his last two outings.

Philadelphia will counter with righthander Adam Eaton (0-0, 4.74). The veteran allowed four runs and six hits in five innings Sunday against the New York Mets and has yet to earn a decision despite lasting at least five innings in each of his four starts.