(Sports Network) - Ryan Howard's recent tear has the Phillies back on top of the standings. Back in first in the National League East, Philadelphia continues a three-game series with the Atlanta Braves tonight at Turner Field.

Howard had four hits in Tuesday's 8-7 victory, with his two-run homer in the eighth inning proving to be the difference. It was his major-league leading 45th homer of the season and he also leads the majors with 136 RBI.

Howard, the 2006 NL MVP, is hitting only .249 on the season, but is batting .396 (21-for-53) in 14 September games with eight homers and 22 RBI. He hit only .213 with seven homers and 19 RBI in 29 games last month.

The victory was the Phillies' fifth in a row and seventh straight in Atlanta, where the club has yet to lose this season. The win also pushed Philadelphia a half-game ahead of New York for first place in the NL East after the Mets lost to Washington on Tuesday.

Philadelphia, which is back in first for the first time since August 26, rallied from a seven-game September deficit last year to overtake New York for the division crown on the season's final day.

Jayson Werth and Carlos Ruiz each homered in the win, while Brad Lidge worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth to record his 37th save in as many chances this season.

With little room for error, the Phils will skip over Kyle Kendrick tonight in the rotation and instead start J.A. Happ, who has never faced the Braves. Kendrick has an 11.56 earned run average over his last six outings, while Happ had two successful starts back in July.

The 25-year-old Happ allowed four runs over 11 total innings in his two starts, getting a no-decision in each one. His last start came on July 9, when he allowed two runs over 6 1/3 frames.

However, in three bullpen outings since being recalled from the minors, the lefty has yielded seven runs over 6 1/3 innings.

Jair Jurrjens goes for Atlanta after striking out a career-high 10 in his last outing. The righty won his second straight start on Thursday, beating Colorado with six innings of four-run ball.

Jurrjens is 13-9 on the season with a 3.62 ERA and has split two career starts versus the Phillies. The lone win came in Philadelphia on July 25 after the 22-year-old tossed eight shutout innings.

Brian McCann went 3-for-5 and drove in two runs for Atlanta, which has dropped two of its last three games. Chipper Jones went 1-for-2 with three walks, and leads the majors with a .365 batting average.

In addition to their perfect record at Turner Field this year, the Phils have won 11 of 13 this season versus the Braves.