Philadelphia @ Atlanta preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 26, 2011 ) Philadelphia 4, Atlanta 2

THE STORY: The season has come down to two games for the Atlanta Braves, who are clinging to a one-game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League wild card standings. The Braves host the Philadelphia Phillies in the final two games and probably can't afford another loss. The Braves have enjoyed the wild card lead since June 20 and led by 8½ games Sept. 5, only to have a combination of its slump and a St. Louis surge slowly eat away at the lead. The Braves have lost three straight and seven of 10, and five straight to the Phillies.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, CS Philadelphia, SportSouth (Atlanta)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Roy Oswalt (8-10, 3.86 ERA) vs. Braves RH Derek Lowe (9-16, 4.92).

Oswalt has been roughed up in two of his last three starts, allowing six runs in 7 2/3 innings against the Nationals on Sept. 22 and five runs in seven innings at Houston on Sept. 12. He is 2-2 with a 4.11 ERA in five starts in September. Oswalt is 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA against the Braves and earned his first career win against Atlanta on April 9. Oswalt is likely to have a 75-80 pitch limit. Lowe has lost his last four starts and has not pitched well in September. He is 0-4 with an 8.24 ERA, having allowed 20 runs in 19 2/3 innings. Lowe has pitched better against the Philies than his record may indicate, going 1-3 with a 4.13 ERA. He had a no-hitter against Philadelphia through six innings on May 6, but left the game because of a foot blister after allowing two hits.

ABOUT THE PHILLIES (100-60): After going 0-for-16 over a five-game stretch, Jimmy Rollins is 8-for-12 in his last three games. Shane Victorino continues to thrive on Braves pitching this season - he is 19-for-48 (.395) with eight runs and seven RBIs. Since taking three days off with tendinitis in his left knee, Hunter Pence is 4-for-14. The Phillies have announced that the final game will be a bullpen game, with Kyle Kendrick or Joe Blanton getting the start. If they use Cole Hamels, he will only pitch two or three innings because he started Saturday and will be going on short rest.

ABOUT THE BRAVES (89-71): Alex Gonzalez returned to the lineup Monday after missing three starts and drove in a run. He had been 14-for-30 in his previous eight games. Chipper Jones recorded his first multi-hit game since Sept. 2 and connected for his first home run since Sept. 11, but hit into a rally-killing double play in the eighth inning. Rookies have accounted for 59.3 percent of innings pitched by Atlanta starters in September.

FINAL PITCH: Atlanta activated left-handed reliever George Sherrill from the disabled list. He was out since Aug. 27 with elbow inflammation. Sherrill is expected to be used against the left-handed heavy Phillies' lineup.