Philadelphia (43-37) is fourth in the majors in runs with 404, but that production has been limited against the AL this season. The Phillies are 3-9 in interleague play, scoring 41 runs - the third-worst total in baseball.

They have managed a total of 15 runs in their last eight games, losing seven of them. The Phillies were shut out for the second time in that stretch and had three hits Thursday in a 5-0 loss at Oakland.

"We just have to keep playing," Phillies center fielder Shane Victorino told the team's official Web site. "We're not going to give up. We're in one of those things right now. As bad as we're doing, we're still in first place. We'll take that."

Reigning NL MVP Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard are all going through slumps at the same time over these last eight games. Rollins is 6-for-31 (.194) in that stretch, Utley is 5-for-26 (.192) and Howard is 4-for-32 (.125) to continue his season-long woes.

The Phillies may need to get back to their previous high-scoring ways against the Rangers (40-40), who have scored a major league-high 437 runs. Texas, though, may be without Hamilton after he left Thursday's 7-2 loss at Houston when he was hit in the left hand by a pitch from Wandy Rodriguez in the first inning.

X-rays were negative and Hamilton, who has 19 homers and 76 RBIs, is day to day.

"I'm definitely happy it's not broken and he didn't hit me in the face or anything," Hamilton said. "It was just a bruise, but it's sore."

Friday's pitching matchup features a Philadelphia starter who hasn't won on the road against one from Texas who has yet to win at home.

The Phillies' Brett Myers (3-9, 5.51 ERA) is enduring a miserable season. He has the worst ERA on the staff and is 0-6 with a 7.54 ERA in eight road starts this year as he gets ready to pitch against Texas for the first time.

The right-hander has allowed a major league-leading 23 homers, and gave up three last Saturday as he was charged with four runs in 7 2-3 innings in a 6-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels.

"I felt like I threw the ball well, but the result wasn't what I wanted," Myers said.

The Rangers will counter with Kason Gabbard (2-3, 4.96), who will pitch at home for the fourth time in 12 outings. He's 0-1 with a 5.63 ERA in the first three.

Gabbard won last Saturday for the first time since his season debut April 4 by yielding three runs over 5 1-3 innings in a 13-3 win at Washington.

The left-hander, who has never faced the Phillies, improved to 2-2 with a 6.00 ERA in four career interleague starts.

Philadelphia swept three games from Texas at home from June 7-9, 2005 in the only previous series between the teams.