Halladay, Phillies top Padres, 5-3

Make it nine straight.

Entering this weekend's four-game series against the Padres, the Phillies had not lost a series since dropping two out of three to Seattle in mid-June. That did not change against San Diego, which dropped its 10th straight game to the Phillies this afternoon at Citizens Bank Park as Roy Halladay pitched eight innings and the Phillies offense looked sharp in a 5-3 victory.

The Phillies have won nine consecutive series. They have not lost back-to-back games since June 3 and 4 in Pittsburgh.

Halladay was his usual consistent self, rebounding from the heat exhaustion that forced him out of his last start early to allow three runs in eight innings while improving to 12-4.

Ryan Howard went 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored, while Raul Ibanez went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI. He also had a home run stolen from him by Padres center fielder Chris Denorfia, who made a leaping grab over the wall in center field in the eighth inning.

Halladay, who was knocked out of Monday's loss to the Cubs in the fifth inning due to heat exhaustion and dehydration, struck out eight, walked one, and allowed two earned runs on eight hits in eight innings. He is now 12-4 with a 2.55 ERA. Halladay through 116 pitches, setting up lefty Antonio Bastardo for the save.

The Phillies are now 64-36, the second-best mark after 100 games in franchise history.

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