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Sheets hopes to keep rolling vs. Phillies

Sep 11, 2008 - 10:18 AM Milwaukee (83-63) at Philadelphia (79-67) 7:05 p.m. EDT

PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- Even though he was part of the Milwaukee Brewers' second-half collapse last season, Ben Sheets has been doing all he can to ensure his team ends its 25-year playoff drought.

Sheets attempts keep the Brewers' four-game advantage in the National League wild-card race on Thursday when they begin an important four-game set with the Philadelphia Phillies.

After his 10-4 start helped Milwaukee establish as much as a 8 1/2-game lead in the NL Central last summer, Sheets (13-7, 2.82 ERA) succumbed to a distal sprain of his right middle finger in mid-July that led to a month-long stint on the disabled list.

When he returned, the righthander was able to win only two of his final five starts, including a 1-1 record and 7.88 ERA in September, as the Brewers lost their huge division lead to the Cubs and fell two games short of qualifying for the postseason for the first time since 1982.

This time, Milwaukee (83-63) holds a four-game advantage over Houston (79-67) and Philadelphia (79-67) in the wild card race, thanks in part to Sheets, who has gone 2-0 without allowing a run over his last three outings.

He was dominant in Saturday's 1-0 victory over San Diego, allowing five hits and a walk with seven strikeouts to post his fifth complete game.

While Milwaukee faltered late last season, Philadelphia took advantage of a collapse by the Mets (82-63) in the NL East and may need a similar breakdown again by the team it trails by 3 1/2 games in the division if it wants to visit the playoffs for the second straight season.

The Phillies overcame a seven-game deficit in the East on September 12 to overtake the Mets on the final day of the season.

Hoping to spark a similar run in 2008, Philadelphia will turn to Jamie Moyer (13-7, 3.64), who is 3-0 over his last six starts. The 45-year-old lefthander won his second straight outing in Sunday's 6-2 triumph of the Mets as held the East division leaders to two hits and three walks over seven scoreless frames.