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Phillies and Brewers continue to fight for playoff spots

Sep 12, 2008 - 10:12 AM Milwaukee (83-64) at Philadelphia (80-67), 7:05 pm EDT

PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- Though each fighting for their playoffs lives, the Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Brewers are in different predicaments.

While the slumping Brewers are holding on to the National League wild card, the Phillies look to shrink their deficit in the NL East with a chance to punch a ticket for October baseball as the two duel on Friday.

In the opener, Ryan Howard hit his 43rd home run of the season and drove in three runs as the Phillies ended a two-game skid with a 6-3 victory on Thursday.

The win moved the Phillies within three games of the idle New York Mets (82-63) for first place in NL East and three behind the Brewers for the wild card.

Cole Hamels (12-9, 3.12 ERA) takes the mound for the Phillies looking to shake off a rough start against the Mets on Sunday in which he surrendered five runs and nine hits - including two home runs - in five shoddy innings of a 6-3 loss.

The lefthander is 1-1 with a 4.76 ERA in four lifetime starts against the Brewers, and has held opponents to two runs or less in seven of his past 10 outings.

Howard will try to homer for the fourth straight game when he faces Manny Parra (10-7, 4.03).

Parra has one win since June 20 and was ineffective in his last effort, which turned out to be a 10-1 loss to the lowly San Diego Padres. The 25-year-old lefthander surrendered six runs - one earned - and six hits in five frames.

Lasting at least seven innings twice in 10 starts, Parra faces the Phillies for the first time this season.