(Sports Network) - Jimmy Rollins is starting to return to his MVP form. The reigning top offensive player from the National League a year ago will try to lead the Philadelphia Phillies closer to a playoff spot tonight in the second portion of a three-game series with the Florida Marlins at Citizens Bank Park.

Rollins won the 2007 NL MVP award last year by hitting .296 with 30 homers, 94 RBI and 41 steals, but struggled early this year. He battled an early-season injury and was hitting just .255 on August 24.

However, Rollins has a hit in 12 of his 14 games since to lift his season average to .273. He is batting .400 (24-for-60) with two homers, 12 RBI, eight runs scored and 10 steals in that span.

The shortstop had three hits, scored twice, knocked in a run and stole three bases in the Phillies' 8-6 victory over the Marlins on Monday that pulled the club to within 1 1/2 games of idle New York for first place in the NL East.

Philadelphia also moved to within three games of the Brewers for the NL wild card lead after Milwaukee fell to the Reds on Monday.

2006 NL MVP Ryan Howard had two RBI and Jayson Werth added a late three-run homer for the Phillies, who have won three of four. Joe Blanton got his second win as a Phillie and also knocked in his first career run.

Due to Sunday's doubleheader versus the Mets, the Phillies will start Kyle Kendrick tonight for the first time since last Monday. The righty had his last start skipped due to his 9.14 earned run average over his last five starts, a span that his seen Kendrick go just 1-3.

In Kendrick's Monday outing versus the Nats, he allowed six runs on eight hits over just four innings to fall to 11-8 on the season with a 5.06 ERA.

He is 2-1 with a 4.07 ERA in four career starts versus the Marlins and has split two outings against them this year. He defeated Florida at home with six shutout innings on August 6, but was also hammered for seven runs in 4 1/3 frames of a loss in Miami on July 19.

Chris Volstad will get his second career look at the Phils tonight after defeating them on August 7 with six shutout innings. He allowed just three hits and four walks in the outing.

The 21-year-old righty has posted two straight no-decisions heading into this outing, including Wednesday versus the Braves. Volstad allowed three runs on six hits and five walks over six innings, lifting his ERA to 3.32 to go along with a 4-3 record.

Mike Jacobs and Cody Ross each hit two-run homers last night for the Marlins, who have lost three straight and are 8 1/2 off the pace in the NL East with 18 games to play. Anibal Sanchez was waxed for five runs on five hits over 1 2/3 frames, his shortest career outing.

Jacobs' homer was his 31st of the season. The first baseman is one of two Marlins infielders with 30 homers on the year, joining second baseman Dan Uggla (30). Shortstop Hanley Ramirez has 29 long balls on the season, meaning one more homer by Ramirez will make the Marlins just the second team in MLB history with three infielders posting at least 30 homers in a season. The 2001 Oakland A's did so with Jason Giambi, Eric Chavez and Miguel Tejada.

The Marlins hold a 7-6 edge in the season series with the Phillies, with the Phils winning four of seven as the host.