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Phillies hope to bounce back against lowly Pirates

Aug 8, 2008 - 10:07 AM Pittsburgh (52-62) at Philadelphia (62-52) 7:05 p.m. EDT

PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- Locked in a tight National League East battle, the Philadelphia Phillies will be looking to stay on top Friday when they duel the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Phillies dropped two of three to the second-place Florida Marlins (61-54) during the week, seeing their lead trimmed to 1 1/2 games. The New York Mets (60-54) are also looming, two games out.

Philadelphia managed four hits in Thursday's 3-0 setback to the Marlins, wasting another solid effort by ace Cole Hamels. The young lefthander has failed to earn a win in eight starts this season in which he has allowed three earned runs or less.

The Pirates could provide Philadelphia a nice break from the NL East melee, entering losers of four of their last five.

Pittsburgh has allowed an NL-high 631 runs.

Paul Maholm (7-7, 3.95 ERA), who leads the Pirates' staff in wins, ERA and strikeouts will take the mound. The 26-year-old lefthander is coming off one of his worst outings of the season last Saturday at Chicago, when he allowed five runs and eight hits in six innings to suffer a loss.

He allowed two hits in a complete-game effort against the Phillies on April 27, yielding one run and not issuing a walk while striking out four to earn a win.

Philadelphia will counter Joe Blanton (6-12, 4.94). The burly righthander was the Phillies' lone major move prior to the trade deadline and is coming off his best start with his new club. He allowed one run in seven innings to pick up a win Saturday at St. Louis.