=== Philadelphia Phillies Team Report - August 17 ===

(My Sportsbook) - The Philadelphia Phillies try to complete a three-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals tonight at Veterans Stadium.

The Phillies are atop the NL wild card standings, a half game in front of the Florida Marlins, who host San Diego today. Last night, Jim Thome hit a two-run homer and Mike Lieberthal added a solo shot for the Phillies, who posted a 5-4 win. Thome has now homered four times in the last four games.

Lieberthal also drove in two runs and Marlon Byrd chipped in a pair of hits and two runs scored for the Phillies.

Brett Myers (12-7) improved to 4-0 over his last six starts at the Vet. Myers hasn't lost a home game since June 6. The young righthander allowed four runs on six hits over 6 1/3 innings with five walks and five strikeouts.

Jose Mesa collected his 22nd save in the ninth for Philadelphia, which has won four straight.

Righthander Amaury Telemaco will be recalled from Triple-A Scranton Wilkes- Barre to start tonight for the Phillies. He takes the place of a struggling Brandon Duckworth, who was demoted to the minors earlier this week. However, Telemaco has a stiff neck and he may not be in top shape for this game.

The 29-year-old Telemaco hasn't pitched at the major league level since 2001 when he threw in 24 games, including 14 starts, for the Phillies. Telemaco was 10-9 with a 3.24 ERA in 25 games (24 starts) this season for Scranton. However, what's very impressive is that he's fanned 116 batters, while walking only 22.

Telemaco is 0-1 in 12 career games (3 starts) against the Cardinals.

The Phillies have won six of the last eight matchups. The Phillies swept a three-game series at St. Louis last year, but haven't swept a three-game set at home against the Cardinals since July 27-29, 1993.

The Phillies are 38-26 at home and have won nine of their last 12 at the Vet.