Werth ends home run drought and Phillies beat Diamondbacks

JAYSON WERTH says he doesn't listen to the trade rumors that have been swirling around him for the better part of a month.

After last night, those rumors might not exist.

Werth snapped a 29-game homerless drought with a two-run homer off Rodrigo Lopez in the fifth inning, and centerfielder Shane Victorino limped off the field in the seventh inning with a left oblique strain as the Phillies extended their winning streak to a season-high six games with a 9-5 victory over the Diamondbacks.

The Phillies moved within 3 1/2 games of first-place Atlanta in the NL East.

With Victorino set to visit team doctor Michael Ciccotti today and Werth starting to heat up, it's hard to imagine the Phillies deciding to part ways with their No. 5 hitter. Not only does he provide the bulk of the team's righthanded power - an important role in a lefty-heavy lineup - Werth has the flexibility to play centerfield.

Victorino said he was hoping to avoid a stint on the disabled list. He intially felt the oblique - located on the left side of the rib cage - grab in the sixth inning while running the bases, then felt it tighten while running to catch a fly ball off the bat of Stephen Drew in the seventh. After making the catch, he walked off the field next to team athletic trainer Mark Andersen.

"I just wanted to be precautionary on that," said Victorino, who went 2-for-4 and scored a run to improve his average to .250. "I don't want to make it longer than we need to. Hopefully nothing's really [wrong] except for it being sore."

Oblique strains can take weeks to heal. Starter Joe Blanton missed the first month of the season after straining the muscle. Werth missed a little more than 2 weeks in 2008 with an oblique strain, and Carlos Ruiz missed a similar amount of time last season.

But Victorino thinks he can avoid the DL.

"I hope not [to go on the DL]," Victorino said. "I don't think it's that bad, and I hope it's not that bad. Again, I won't know until I take the MRI in the morning and what that shows and reveals."

Werth replaced Victorino in centerfield, and Ross Gload came off the bench to play right. Reserve outfielder Ben Francisco also has played centerfield.

Manager Charlie Manuel said the team had no immediate plans to call up an outfielder.

"We ain't there yet," the manager said.

Would top prospect Domonic Brown, who hit a go-ahead triple in the ninth inning for Triple A Lehigh Valley last night, be a consideration?