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(Sports Network) - Pat Misch has some rather large shoes to fill for San Francisco tonight, when he leads the Giants in the opener of a three-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.

With starters Noah Lowry and Kevin Correia both injured, Misch will take over for incumbent starter Barry Zito, who was demoted to the bullpen after another lousy start to the season. Zito, in the second year of a seven-year, $126 million contract, owns an 0-6 record with a 7.53 earned run average in six starts this season. He went 11-13 in 34 games (33 starts) with a 4.53 ERA in 2007 -- his first season in San Francisco.

The left-handed Misch has made one relief appearance this season, hurling six innings of two-run ball on Sunday in a 10-1 loss versus Cincinnati. He is 0-4 with a 3.99 ERA in 20 games (4 starts) in his young career and will take on the Phillies for the first time on Friday.

San Francisco will open a six-game road trip in Pennsylvania, paying visits to Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. The Giants just went 3-3 on a six-game homestand and have won five of their last eight games, including Wednesday's 3-2 triumph over the Colorado Rockies in the finale of a three-game series at AT&T Park.

Jose Castillo provided the go-ahead run with a home run in the seventh inning, while Aaron Rowand also homered and Randy Winn drove in the other San Francisco run.

Giants starter Jonathan Sanchez allowed two runs on five hits and five walks, hurling 5 2/3 innings before Merkin Valdez recorded four outs to earn his first win. Brian Wilson collected his ninth save with a scoreless ninth.

Rowand will make his first return to Philadelphia, where he played the previous two seasons. The center fielder, who signed a five-year, $60 million deal with the Giants in the offseason, hit .309 and set career-highs with 27 home runs, 89 RBI, 189 hits, 105 runs and 45 doubles with the Phillies last year. The All-Star also took home his first Gold Glove award after leading NL center fielders with a .995 fielding percentage.

Philadelphia is all alone atop the NL East standings and a half-game ahead of both Florida and New York. It has won two of three and eight of its last 11 games, and posted a 3-2 victory over the San Diego Padres on Thursday in the last meeting of a three-game series.

Ryan Howard was the hero for Philadelphia with an RBI double and the go-ahead home run in the eighth inning. Pat Burrell drove in a run, while Tom Gordon pitched a scoreless eighth for the win and closer Brad Lidge nailed down his seventh save with a perfect ninth.

Phils starter Adam Eaton did not factor in the outcome after he yielded two runs on five hits with two strikeouts and two walks in six innings.

The Phillies will send Kyle Kendrick to the mound tonight and he is 2-2 with a 5.13 earned run average through five starts in 2008.

Kendrick ended a three-start winless streak (0-2) his last time out, allowing four runs -- three earned -- in seven frames of an 8-4 triumph against Pittsburgh Saturday at PNC Park. He has lasted at least five innings in each of his last three outings.

The second-year right-hander will be facing the Giants for the first time tonight.

San Francisco and Philadelphia split eight matchups in 2007, but the Phillies are 14-6 over the past 20 meetings in this series. Philly is 8-2 against the Giants in the City of Brotherly Love during that span.