The Phillies are in the midst of a stretch in which they will face some serious pitching.

Capital S. Capital P.

It started yesterday when they were opposed by San Francisco ace Tim Lincecum, who entered the game with a 1.73 ERA, third-best in the National League.

The Phils open a four-game series in Arizona tonight against a Diamondbacks club that has the best record in baseball and the best team ERA in the NL.

Arizona will send rookie Max Scherzer to the mound against Jamie Moyer in the opener tonight. The 23-year-old righthander, a first-round pick in the 2006 draft, debuted in relief Tuesday night and retired all 13 batters he faced, seven on strikeouts. Scherzer's fastball topped out at 98 m.p.h.

Tomorrow night, the Phils will face 44-year-old Randy Johnson, and while he's not the pitcher he used to be, he still has five Cy Young awards and is capable of dialing up a gem from time to time.

On Wednesday, Arizona will send righthander Micah Owings (4-1, 4.42 in six starts) to the mound.

The Phils will see righthander Brandon Webb in Thursday's series finale. Webb, owner of one of the game's best power sinkers, won the NL Cy Young Award in 2006 and was runner-up to San Diego's Jake Peavy last season. Webb is off to a great start, going 7-0 with a 2.49 ERA in seven starts.

On Friday, the Phils move on to San Francisco, where they are likely to face Lincecum in the series opener. Barry Zito (0-6, 7.53) could return to the Giants' rotation and pitch against the Phils on Saturday.

The kid can pitch

Chase Utley reached base for the 25th straight game when he was hit by a pitch from the Giants' Jack Taschner in the seventh inning. Utley has reached base in all but one of the Phils' 32 games.

Yesterday, however, was just the sixth game that Utley, hitting .357, did not get a hit. He was 0 for 3 against Lincecum, the Giants' fireballer.

Lincecum, 23, opened the game with seven straight fastballs to Shane Victorino and Eric Bruntlett. He then threw four fastballs (95 m.p.h., 95, 94, 96) to Utley before freezing the Phils' best hitter with a jaw-dropping 82-m.p.h. change-up.

Lincecum, a shaggy-haired, 170-pound righthander, got a no-decision but lowered his ERA to 1.49.

"He's good," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "To me, he looks like a little clubhouse guy or a batboy with that long hair, but he's got a fastball.

"I wouldn't say he's pretty, though," Manuel added with a laugh. "They call Cole Hamels 'Hollywood.' I don't think they call him that."

No. 500

Yesterday's win was Manuel's 500th as a major-league manager. Phillies players presented him with a signed game jersey with the No. 500 on the back after the win.

"I told them I want at least 500 more," said Manuel, who has also managed the Cleveland Indians. "This is a tribute to the players I've had. Managers are only as good as the players they have."

Health check

Manuel said that shortstop Jimmy Rollins, recovering from a sprained left ankle, is expected to play in minor-league games in Florida beginning tomorrow.

Could Rollins be ready to play over the weekend in San Francisco? "Maybe," Manuel said.

Extra bases

Giants rookie shortstop Emmanuel Burriss had to take a taxi back to the team hotel before batting practice. Seems he didn't realize it was getaway day and forgot to bring his luggage to the park. Sounds like a serious kangaroo court violation. . . . The Phillies' triple-A Lehigh Valley club saw its minor-league-worst record slip to 4-27 with an 8-1 loss at Columbus yesterday. Columbus scored five times off reliever Steve Kline in the eighth to break the game open. Kline allowed two doubles, hit two batters, and walked one. . . . Yesterday was the Phillies' eighth sellout in 18 home dates.

- Jim Salisbury