(Sports Network) - When the Philadelphia Phillies hosted the Florida Marlins for four games last week, they finished up a homestand with three straight victories and the lead in the National League East.
Philadelphia will hope for similar results in this three-game set down in Miami, where it goes for a fourth straight win both overall versus the Marlins and at Sun Life Stadium.
The Phillies used their series win over the Marlins to take a half-game edge over Atlanta for the top spot in the division, a lead that currently stands at one game after Sunday's 3-0 victory over the Mets and the Braves' loss to St. Louis.
Roy Oswalt threw his first shutout in a Phillies uniform, a four-hitter to win his sixth straight decision.
"I feel like I've got a new life," said Oswalt, who was acquired from the Astros in late July and tossed the eighth shutout of his career. "I've been out of playoff contention for about five years. Now we're on the verge of trying to get back in. These guys have been there two years and they've got a ring. I don't. Hopefully, I can push them to get another one."
Raul Ibanez hit a solo homer and both Chase Utley and Ryan Howard drove in a run for the Phillies, who have won five of six and 13 of their last 17 overall.
Philadelphia is expected to be without shortstop Jimmy Rollins for a fourth straight game after he flew back to Philadelphia to have an MRI on his right hamstring, which he injured on Wednesday versus the Marlins.
Rollins' injury came one game after Joe Blanton pitched a solid 6 1/3 innings versus the Marlins. The right-hander gave up four runs -- two earned -- on six hits and left with the lead, but got a no-decision in his club's 8-7 triumph.
Blanton is 3-0 with a 3.62 earned run average over his last nine starts and hasn't lost since July 21. In 24 starts this season, the 29-year-old is 6-6 with a 5.15 ERA.
Blanton's start last week was the seventh of his career versus the Marlins, and he is 4-2 with a 3.35 ERA versus them.
Marlins starter Andrew Miller, meanwhile, will be glad to see at least one key piece of the Phillies' offense out after he was drilled for seven runs and 11 hits over four innings of a loss to Philadelphia on Wednesday.
The 25-year-old southpaw, who makes his sixth appearance and fourth start of 2010 tonight, fell to 1-1 with a 6.16 ERA on the year.
"I made way too many mistakes [Wednesday]," Miller said after falling to 0-4 with a 6.42 ERA in his career versus the Phillies. "I spent the whole night trying to throw the ball down and away and watching it cut right over the plate, right into their barrels. You can't do that with this team. It seemed like hit after hit."
The Marlins have rebounded since the Philadelphia series, posting a three-game sweep of Washington that culminated with Sunday's 6-5 triumph. Rookie Mike Stanton led the way with a pair of homers and three RBI.
"I'm going in streaks so I want to get a little more consistent," said Stanton, who is hitting .251 with 20 homers and 49 RBI in 81 games.
Emilio Bonifacio finished with three hits, two runs scored and an RBI for the Marlins, while Dan Uggla drove in a run to reach the 90-RBI mark for a third straight year in helping Florida win for the eighth time in its last 12 games.
The Marlins have lost six of their last seven versus the Phillies, though, and 10 of the 15 overall matchups between the teams in 2010.