MLB: Philadelphia 6, Milwaukee 3

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 11 (UPI) -- Ryan Howard hit a two-run homer in the first innings Thursday and Philadelphia went on to tighten the NL wild-card race with a 6-3 victory over Milwaukee.

The Brewers saw their lead in the chase for the wild-card berth reduced to three games over both Philadelphia and Houston.

Philadelphia never trailed, but the Brewers were within a run going into the bottom of the sixth. Carlos Ruiz gave the Phillies some cushion in that inning with an RBI double and he added a squeeze bunt in the eighth that allowed Shane Victorino to score.

All of Milwaukee's runs came on homers -- a solo shot by J.J. Hardy in the third and a two-run blast by Prince Fielder in the sixth.

Jamie Moyer (14-7) lasted 5 2/3 innings to get the win. He allowed all of Milwaukee's runs on four hits with five strikeouts.

Brad Lidge picked up his 36th save with a perfect ninth.

The loss went to Ben Sheets (13-8), who gave up five runs on nine hits in six innings.