(Sports Network) - The Philadelphia Phillies will try to cling to their fading playoff chances when they begin a three-game series with the Florida Marlins tonight at Dolphin Stadium.

The Phillies' playoff hopes were dealt a crushing blow this week. They headed into Monday tied with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the National League wild card, but have since dropped three of four games to fall two games behind LA.

The Dodgers, who won 19-11 in Colorado on Thursday, play three games at San Francisco this weekend.

Philadelphia was just handed two losses in a three-game series in the nation's capital, including a 3-1 setback in Thursday's finale. Brian Schneider's two- run single in the sixth inning boosted Washington to the win in a game that didn't end until after 2 a.m. (et).

The start of Thursday's game was delayed 4 hours, 27 minutes by rain and didn't start until 11:30 p.m. It was the second straight late night for the teams, as the Phillies pulled out an 8-7 victory in 14 innings on Wednesday.

The Phillies, trying for their first playoff berth since 1993, had just five hits in the rubber match of the three-game set at RFK Stadium.

Jon Lieber (9-11) allowed seven hits and three runs over 5 1/3 innings for the loss.

Jamie Moyer will aim for his third straight winning start when he takes the ball for Philadelphia tonight.

Moyer's started last Sunday's game against Florida and won despite allowing five runs and eight hits in six innings. He surrendered four of the runs in the first inning.

Last Sunday's outing was just the second against the Marlins for the 43-year- old Moyer. He is 2-0 with a 3.86 ERA versus Florida.

The Marlins will send Brian Moehler to the hill tonight and hope the right- hander can earn his first victory since late August.

Moehler is 0-2 with a 6.87 ERA in his last five games and hasn't won since August 25 against Milwaukee. He has dropped consecutive outings and the most recent setback came last Saturday in Philadelphia. The Phillies touched Moehler for four runs and eight hits over just 3 1/3 innings.

The 34-year-old Moehler is 1-2 with a 5.91 ERA in eight career games (five starts) against the Phillies.

Florida was handed a 5-1 setback in Thursday's game with the visiting Cincinnati Reds. Kyle Lohse pitched six strong innings and helped his cause with two runs batted in to lead Cincy.

Miguel Cabrera drove in the only run for Florida, which has dropped four of its last five games. The Marlins have already been officially eliminated from the postseason.

The Phillies are 11-5 against Florida this year and 21-14 since the start of last year.