=== Philadelphia Phillies Team Report - July 28 ===

(My Sportsbook) - If the Phillies are going to hold on to the wild card spot in the National League they will certainly need better pitching than what was on display this past weekend against the Florida Marlins.

Today, Larry Bowa's team turns to Randy Wolf for pitching support, as the lefthander starts this afternoon in a make-up game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park.

The Phillies were swept in a three-game set at Pro Player Stadium and outscored 28-16. Late inning collapses by the bullpen were evident. Florida scored eight times in the eighth inning on Friday night and then put up a five-spot in the same frame on Saturday. Yesterday, it was new-acquisition Mike Williams that faltered in the ninth inning, surrendering the game-winning single to Juan Pierre in a 7-6 defeat.

Williams (1-5) has yet to impress his new teammates. Since being acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 20, the righthander is 0-2 with a 9.64 ERA in five games with Philadelphia.

Pat Burrell knocked in two runs and Jimmy Rollins added three hits and an RBI for the Phillies, who have lost five of their last seven games. Marlon Byrd had two hits and a pair of runs scored in the loss.

The sweep has left the Phillies two games ahead of Arizona and Florida for the wild card spot, but a host of teams are gaining ground. A total of seven clubs are within 5 1/2 games of the Phillies in the chase for that elusive playoff slot.

Wolf is coming off a four-hit shutout against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Wednesday. However, the lefthander is only 2-2 over his last four outings. In his last three starts, Wolf has allowed only three runs, covering 21 innings.

Wolf is 4-1 lifetime against the Reds, including a 2-0 mark this season. In fact, the last time these teams played, June 14 at Cincinnati, Wolf picked up the win by allowing just one run over seven innings. He also beat the Reds April 13 at Great American Ball Park, again yielding only one run over six frames. The Phillies have won those two games by a combined 25-3 score.

The Phillies are 3-2 against the Reds this season and have won seven of the last nine meetings.

Philadelphia is 28-23 on the road.