(Sports Network) - The Philadelphia Phillies broke out of their current hitting slump for one day. The team may find it hard to avoid falling back into that rut this afternoon, when it faces Rich Harden and the Oakland Athletics in the finale of a three-game series at McAfee Coliseum.

The Phillies averaged just 1.8 runs and 5.3 hits per contest over a season- worst six-game slide, but broke out for 11 hits in last night's 4-0 victory over Oakland.

Manager Charlie Manuel shuffled his struggling club's batting order before the game and it paid off. Chase Utley, who had just one hit in his last 29 at- bats, went 4-for-5 while falling a homer shy of the cycle after being moved from third to second in the lineup. Pedro Feliz went 2-for-5 with a triple and an RBI, while Chris Coste had two hits and two RBI in the win, which moved the first-place Phillies two games up on second-place Florida in the National League East.

Interestingly enough, starter Kyle Kendrick made sure his team didn't need a big offensive output. Kendrick (7-3) tossed a career-high eight shutout innings, allowing just four hits and a walk while striking out four.

The Phillies will now see get their first-ever look at Harden, who has been shutting down offenses all season. The oft-injured righty is 4-0 with a 2.44 earned run average over 10 starts this year, and has given up more than two runs in just two of those outings.

He bested the Giants with six shutout frames on June 14, then got a no- decision versus Florida on Friday after allowing one run on five hits over 5 2/3 frames.

The 26-year-old Harden is 2-0 with a 2.13 ERA in seven home starts in 2008.

The pressure will be on Phils starter Adam Eaton to keep his club in the game, though he has been able to do that on many occasions this year. Eaton is coming off a poor outing on Friday against the Angels, when he allowed six runs on 12 hits and three walks over five innings to drop his second straight start.

The righty had a 2.65 ERA in five previous outings, however, and is 2-5 with a 4.94 ERA this season.

The 30-year-old Eaton is winless (0-3) in eight road starts this year and 1-1 with a 4.91 ERA in four career starts versus Oakland.

The A's managed just four hits in last night's loss. Jack Hannahan had Oakland's only extra-base hit, a double, while Kurt Suzuki added a single to extend his hitting streak to a career-high nine games. The catcher is hitting .485 (16-for-33) with two homers and 10 RBI over the run, which matched his career-high streak set from April 28-May 7 of this year.

Oakland starter Greg Smith (4-6) took the loss after allowing all four runs on seven hits in 5 2/3 frames, as the Athletics had a two-game win streak stopped. It was the eighth time in 15 starts this season Smith had received one or fewer runs of support.

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.