(Sports Network) - The Philadelphia Phillies will resume their lengthy road trip and try to stay close in the NL East race this evening, when they wrap up a three-game series against Washington at Nationals Park.

Philadelphia is 3-3 so far on a 10-game trek and two games behind the New York Mets in the division standings. The Phillies ended the Nats' seven-game winning streak with Tuesday's 4-0 victory in D.C., but couldn't gain any ground in the East after the Mets edged the Brewers at Miller Park.

Phils starter Cole Hamels was impressive on the hill, hurling 7 1/3 shutout innings and scattering five hits with six strikeouts and three walks. Jimmy Rollins had two hits and a pair of RBI, while Chase Utley knocked in a run for the Phillies, who improved to 37-34 away from home this season. The Phils will open a big three-game series against the Mets at Shea Stadium on Friday.

Taking the ball for Philly in Wednesday's series finale will be Joe Blanton, who hasn't posted a decision over his last two starts. Blanton last took the mound on August 29 at Chicago and recorded his fifth straight no-decision despite holding the Cubs to two runs in 5 2/3 frames of a 3-2 loss.

Blanton is 1-0 with a 3.92 ERA in eight starts with the Phillies since coming over in a trade with Oakland. The bulky right-hander is 0-1 with a 6.55 earned run average in two career games against Washington.

Nationals starter John Lannan gave up two runs and five hits in six innings to absorb the loss last night. Levale Speigner also permitted a pair of runs for the Nationals, who got a triple from Lastings Milledge and doubles by Ryan Zimmerman and Elijah Dukes.

Odalis Perez will handle pitching duties for the Nationals on Wednesday, and he is 6-10 with a 4.14 earned run average in 25 outings. Perez ended a personal two-game losing streak the previous time out on August 29 versus Atlanta, allowing three runs -- two earned -- in 6 1/3 innings of a 7-3 win.

Perez, a left-hander, has fared well in his career against the Phillies by going 6-3 with a 2.70 ERA in 14 career games, nine of which were starts. He has also held Philadelphia's bats to a .222 batting average over 63 1/3 innings.

Philadelphia has won nine of the 14 meetings with the Nationals this season, with a 6-2 mark as the visitor.