Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Ryan Howard's solo homer in the eighth inning was the difference, as the Philadelphia Phillies edged the San Diego Padres, 3-2, in the rubber match of a three-game set.

Howard added an RBI double and scored twice for the Phillies, who have won eight of 11 and moved into first place in the National League East, a half- game ahead of the Mets and Marlins. Tom Gordon (3-2) pitched the scoreless eighth for the win, and Brad Lidge nailed down his seventh save with a perfect ninth.

Adrian Gonzalez's two run home run in the first provided the offense for the Padres, who have dropped three of four and eight of 10. Joe Thatcher (0-3) took the loss for allowing Howard's homer, the only hit he gave up in 1 1/3 innings of work.

The pitching matchup featured two starters tossing against their former clubs, and both took no-decisions. Adam Eaton pitched for the Padres from 2000-2005, while Randy Wolf made his first start in Philadelphia since leaving after the 2006 season.

Wolf pitched well against his former club, fanning nine over six innings, allowing two runs on six hits with three walks. Eaton was less impressive but produced the same result, allowing two runs on five hits with two strikeouts and two walks in six frames.

Leading off the eighth, Howard, who has struggled mightily through the first few weeks of the season, ripped a pitch on the outside corner deep and out to right. The homer, Howard's sixth of the season, put the Phils on top by a run.

Lidge downed the Padres in order in the ninth to preserve the win.

For the second day in a row, Gonzalez got the Padres started with a two-run shot in the first. The Padres first baseman, who homered off of Jamie Moyer in San Diego's 4-2 win on Wednesday, belted another two-run bomb to right on Thursday. This one came after a one-out single to left by Tadahito Iguchi, and again the Padres took an early 2-0 lead.

Shane Victorino, back in the starting lineup for the first time since returning from the disabled list on Tuesday, doubled to left-center to lead off the third. Jayson Werth and Chase Utley both fanned, though, and the Phils almost wasted the leadoff double.

Howard lined a double to left-center that Scott Hairston misjudged, though, plating Victorino, and Pat Burrell followed with an RBI double of his own to left, knotting the game at 2-2.