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NL East-leading Phillies look to hang on to top spot

Sep 17, 2008 - 10:07 AM Philadelphia (84-67) at Atlanta (67-84) 7:10 p.m. EDT

ATLANTA (Ticker) -- The Philadelphia Phillies have overtaken the New York Mets in the National League East. Whether they can hold them off remains to be seen.

The Phillies were 3 1/2 games back on September 10, but have won five in a row to pull one-half game ahead of the slumping Mets (83-67).

Ryan Howard propelled Philadelphia to a win on Tuesday, blasting a two-run homer in the eighth inning to forge an 8-7 decision over the Atlanta Braves.

The slugger leads the majors with 45 homers and 136 RBI and is batting .413 (26-for-63) with nine homers and 24 RBI in the last 16 games.

With Kyle Kendrick posting a 3-6 record with a 7.63 ERA over his last 10 starts, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel is bumping the second-year righthander from the rotation in favor of rookie J.A. Happ (0-0, 5.71 ERA), who will be making his third career start.

The 25-year-old Happ has made five appearances for the Phillies overall, allowing four runs and walking eight in 11 combined innings as a starter. He relieved Kendrick last week but was not effective, giving up three runs and five hits in 3 1/3 innings.

The Braves will counter with their own struggling rookie, Jair Jurrjens (13-9, 3.62). The righthander from Curacao was an NL Rookie of the Year candidate in mid-August with an 11-8 record and 3.15 ERA.

But a 6.48 ERA over his last five starts and 31 hits allowed in the last 25 innings has Jurrjens hoping to end the season on a positive note.