Phillies 3, Cardinals 1: Chase Utley snapped a tie with a two-run homer in the eighth inning and Roy Halladay scattered two hits over eight masterful frames as host Philadelphia edged St. Louis in a pitchers' duel.

After Cardinals starter Kyle Lohse exited after seven solid innings, the Phillies ignited their offense against reliever Barret Browning (0-1). Jimmy Rollins led off the frame with a single and advanced to second on a balk. Utley followed by depositing an offering from Browning over the wall in right-center field for his eighth homer - and third in seven games.

Halladay (6-6) recorded just his third win in his last 13 starts after striking out eight. The two-time Cy Young Award winner's lone mistake came in the second inning after his first-pitch offering to Carlos Beltran left Citizens Bank Park in a hurry.

Nine of Beltran's 28 homers this season have come on the first pitch, tying him with New York Mets slugger Ike Davis for the National League lead.

Jonathan Papelbon worked around Allen Craig's double in the ninth inning to retire the side for his 25th save.

Domonic Brown had an RBI single in the second inning for the Phillies, who defeated the Cardinals for the fourth time in five meetings this season after being unceremoniously bounced by St. Louis in the 2011 National League Division Series.

Lohse recorded his 18th quality start in 23 outings after permitting one run on four hits. His seven strikeouts were a season high.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Former Philadelphia C Mike Lieberthal was inducted into the team's Wall of Fame before the game. A two-time All-Star with the Phillies and a Gold Glove winner in 1999, Lieberthal is the franchise's career leader in hits and homers by a catcher. ... St. Louis' Jon Jay extended his hitting streak to five games with a single in the third inning. ... Beltran has belted eight homers since the All-Star break, ranking second most in the National League behind Arizona's Jason Kubel (10).