(Best E Casino) - Though he is a pitcher, Kyle Kendrick may be what the Phillies need to snap out of their hitting funk. Philadelphia tries to halt a season-long six-game losing streak tonight in the middle portion of a three- game series with the Oakland Athletics at McAfee Coliseum.

The Phillies have scored just 11 runs over their skid, with all six setbacks coming against the American League after yesterday's 5-2 setback to Oakland. Philadelphia is just 2-8 versus the AL this season.

However, the club has scored 49 runs over Kendrick's last six starts, including a 20-2 rout of the St. Louis Cardinals on June 13. The right-hander didn't do his part last time, though, as he gave up six runs on six hits -- including two early homers -- in just three innings of a loss to Boston on Wednesday.

Kendrick was 5-0 over his previous 11 outings before that defeat, his first since April 16. It also marked just the second time in his last 12 starts that the Phils lost.

The 23-year-old is 6-3 with a 5.06 earned run average this season and has never faced Oakland before.

Jamie Moyer (7-5) took a one-hit shutout into the seventh inning last night, but finished up allowing five hits and three runs in 6 2/3 innings with a season-high nine strikeouts. Pat Burrell hit a solo homer for the Phillies, who are on their worst slide since dropping seven straight from June 11-17, 2006.

Ryan Howard knocked in the other run for the Phillies, who thanks to Florida's loss to the Rays on Tuesday still cling to a one-game lead for first place in the NL East. Chase Utley went 0-for-2 with two walks and is mired in a 1- for-29 slump that has dropped his average from .325 on June 3 to .289.

Emil Brown belted a three-run homer in the seventh inning for the A's. Jack Cust added a two-run shot in Oakland's third victory in its last four games and seventh in the last 10 tests. Joe Blanton (4-10) held the ice-cold Phillies offense to four hits and a run in seven innings, fanning five and walking four.

Kurt Suzuki went 1-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to eight games. He is also batting .390 (16-for-41) in interleague play this year, helping Oakland to an 8-5 mark versus the NL.

With the win, the Athletics remained five games back of the Angels for first place in the AL West.

Greg Smith starts for the A's on Wednesday and has posted lines of five innings, three hits and one run allowed in each of his last two starts, though he has also walked nine in that span. Those numbers earned him a win in San Francisco on June 13 and a no-decision versus Arizona on Thursday.

The 24-year-old lefty, who has never faced the Phillies, is 4-5 with a 3.51 ERA in 14 starts this year.

These two clubs last met in 2005, with Oakland taking two of three at home. The Phils and A's also met in Philadelphia in 2003, with the Phillies taking two of three.