Opponent: Philadelphia Phillies (9-12).

Site: PNC Park.

Times: 7:05 p.m. today and tomorrow, 1:35 p.m. Sunday.

TV, radio: All games on FSN Pittsburgh, KDKA-AM (1020) and Pirates Radio Network.

Starting matchups: RHP Ian Snell (0-2, 7.71) vs. RHP Brett Myers (2-0, 3.04), LHP Paul Maholm (0-3, 7.40) vs. RHP Cory Lidle (2-2, 5.11), LHP Oliver Perez (1-3, 7.20) vs. RHP Gavin Floyd (1-2, 8,50).

Season series: First meeting. Philadelphia won last year, 4-3.

Three things to know about the Phillies: 1. After opening 1-6, they quickly recovered by going 8-6. Their most pressing problem through it all has been pitching almost as poor as the Pirates'. The staff ERA is 5.38 to the Pirates' 5.71, and the opponents' batting average is .301 to the Pirates' .306. 2. They are fortunate to have a formidable heart of the order in RF Bobby Abreu, LF Pat Burrell and 1B Ryan Howard. Howard, the National League Rookie of the Year in 2005 and their top hitter this season at .324, has four home runs and 10 RBIs in the past 10 games. 3. They are the only team in either league without a triple, but speedy SS Jimmy Rollins, who had 10 or more in four of the past five seasons, might change that with a shot to the North Side Notch.

The Pirates' key to success: Put it all together for once: Hit, pitch and catch. Although they have the worst record in Major League Baseball, they usually are missing only one of the three.

The intangible: The Phillies will be relieved not to see Kip Wells, who is 5-0 with a 1.26 ERA against them, including a 12-strikeout shutout in July.

On deck: A seven-game road trip to Chicago, New York and Washington, just what a team with a 1-12 road record needs.

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