"As much as the Phillies would have loved to have run their winning streak to 10 games on Sunday, they were able to find solace in defeat because their vaunted pitching rotation might have taken a step toward becoming even stronger.

Roy Oswalt made his first big-league start in six weeks and though he gave up a dozen hits and absorbed a 3-1 defeat at the hands of the San Francisco Giants, he walked away from the start feeling no pain and believing his best is yet to come.

"It feels good to be on the field," Oswalt said. "It feels good to be well."

The veteran righthander had been on the disabled list since June 23 when the pain in his lower back – he began feeling it in April – became too much to bear. A series of injections in July calmed down the pain from a bulging disc and allowed Oswalt to get back on the mound Sunday for the stretch drive of the season and possibly the stretch drive of his career.

Oswalt, who waived a no-trade clause to come to the Phillies last summer, turns 34 on Aug. 29. He is undecided if he will continue his career after this season.

"The World Series," Oswalt said. "That's what I'm playing for. That's why I'm here. I could have stayed in Houston and finished out my career, but I wanted to come here and try to get a ring.""