The Phillies, who also swept the Brewers in a three-game set back in May, scored the go-ahead run on Ryan Braun’s throwing error in the bottom of the seventh on Saturday and eked out a 5-4 win.
Trailing, 4-3, in the seventh, the Phillies had the bases loaded with one out. Placido Polanco stepped to the plate and lofted a sacrifice fly to left to deliver the tying run in Carlos Ruiz. Braun’s throw home took a few bounces before rolling past catcher Jonathan Lucroy. That allowed Wilson Valdez to cross the plate for a 5-4 edge.
The bullpen held strong over the final two innings to make a winner of Roy Halladay (17-10), who gave up four runs on seven hits to snap a two-start skid. The right-hander also struck out six and walked two, but allowed a career-high four homers.
“I left some pitches up. Location was obviously an issue at times,” Halladay said. “Fortunately, they were solo homers and we were able to score the two big runs in the seventh inning.”
Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth each hit solo homers for Philadelphia, which remained one game behind the Atlanta Braves in the NL East and stayed three games in front of San Francisco for the wild card spot.
The Phillies are 8-1 since being swept at home by Houston in four games Aug. 23-26.
Corey Hart hit a pair of solo homers for the Brewers, who also got a home run apiece from Prince Fielder and Alcides Escobar.
Dave Bush went six innings in the start, giving up three runs on six hits. He also fanned five batters and walked one for Milwaukee, which has dropped five straight contests. Kameron Loe (3-4) was charged with both runs in the seventh to take the loss.
“We had the lead in the seventh inning. We have to find somebody out of this bullpen that’s going to hold it,” Brewers manager Ken Macha said.
Heading to the hill for the Phillies this afternoon will be righty Kyle Kendrick, who is 9-7 with a 4.72 earned run average. Kendrick earned the win on Tuesday in Los Angeles, but allowed four runs and seven hits in five innings.
Kendrick has faced the Brewers twice and is 0-1 with a 3.27 ERA.
Milwaukee will counter with veteran left-hander Randy Wolf, who is winless in his last two starts after a three-start winning streak. Wolf did not get a decision on Monday in Cincinnati, as the Reds reached him for three runs and eight hits in five innings of a 5-4 loss.
He is 10-10 on the year with a 4.76 ERA.
Wolf, who pitched the first eight years of his career in Philadelphia, is 1-2 in six starts against his former team with a 5.79 ERA. He was hammered by the Phils back on May 14 for six runs in five innings.
Philadelphia, which has won seven of the past nine meetings between the two ball clubs, also went 6-0 against the Brewers in 2004.