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Phillies battling for playoff spot

Sep 16, 2008 - 12:49 PM Philadelphia (83-67) at Atlanta (67-83), 7:10 pm EDT

ATLANTA (Ticker) -- The Philadelphia Phillies' recent surge is extremely familiar to the National League.

One season after using a torrid run in the final month to clinch a playoff spot, the Phillies look to continue their push toward October play in the opener of a three-game set against the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday.

Last September, Philadelphia won 13 of its last 17 games to earn its first division title since 1993, while hurdling the New York Mets in a historic comeback. Recently winning four straight over the Milwaukee Brewers (83-67) to pull even atop the wild-card race may have triggered an encore.

"Hopefully we'll end up saying, 'It's d??ja vu all over again,'" Phillies reliever J.C. Romero told to the Philadelphia Inquirer. "This team is showing a lot of character. We have two weeks left. If we're the best, we'll be popping champagne. But for now, we have to keep playing good ball."

The Phillies send Jamie Moyer (14-7, 3.68 ERA) to the mound with hopes he can continue his recent success. The 45-year-old lefthander has won three straight outings while posting a 2.50 ERA in that span. Moyer allowed three runs in 5 2/3 innings in a 6-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday.

Moyer is 3-8 with a 5.29 ERA in 13 games - 12 starts - against Atlanta in his career.

The Braves, who will miss the playoffs for the third straight season after making all 14 playoff fields from 1991-2005, will counter with James Parr (1-0, 0.00).

The 22-year-old righthander has yet to give up a run in his first two major league starts. In 12 frames, he's surrendered seven hits and three walks while striking out eight.

In his last outing on Wednesday, he tossed six scoreless innings with five strikeouts and no walks against the Colorado Rockies.