Philadelphia’s Ryan Howard, center, celebrates with third base coach Steve Smith (2) after Howard hit a two-run home run against Milwaukee in the first inning of Thursday’s game. The Brewers’ Bill Hall looks on in the background.

PHILADELPHIA — Jamie Moyer can rest his arm when he retires. For now, the old man is doing whatever it takes to extend the Philadelphia Phillies’ season.

Moyer pitched 523 effective innings on three days’ rest, Ryan Howard hit his major league-leading 43rd homer and the Phillies beat the Milwaukee Brewers 6-3 Thursday night to gain ground in the playoff race.

“He’s been consistent all year,” manager Charlie Manuel said of Moyer, the oldest player in the majors. “Goes to show you the old man can still pitch.”

The Phillies pulled within three games of the NL East-leading Mets and the wild card-leading Brewers by roughing up Ben Sheets (13-8). They remain four behind New York in the loss column.

Moyer (14-7) allowed three runs and four hits, improving to 7-1 in his last 13 starts. The 45-year-old left-hander moved past Hall of Famer Juan Marichal and into a tie with Jack Powell for 49th on the career list with 244 wins.

Pitching on short rest for the first time since 2004, Moyer kept the Brewers off balance with his usual assortment of batting practice-speed fastballs and even slower stuff. He left after Prince Fielder’s two-run drive made it 4-3.

“As I got deeper, I think I got a little tired a little quicker,” Moyer said. “I’m here, I’m healthy. Sometimes you have to step up.”

Fielder’s homer was his first since Aug. 13, but slumping Milwaukee lost for the eighth time in 11 games.

“This series has no more importance or value than the last series, but every day is important, every game is important,” Brewers manager Ned Yost said. “It’s must-win, that must be your mind-set in September.”

Ryan Madson pitched two innings, Chad Durbin threw one pitch to retire the only batter he faced with two on in the eighth and Brad Lidge finished for his 36th save in as many chances.

But it was Moyer who gave the ailing Phillies a big lift by taking the mound and making sure they played with a lead.

“Jamie did a great job,” Howard said. “Anything is possible with him.”

Sheets entered with a 20-inning scoreless streak, but couldn’t extend it. The All-Star right-hander allowed five runs and nine hits in six innings.

“We’ve got to win some games,” Sheets said. “I got a good vibe when the game ended. I know we didn’t win, but I feel better today.”

Howard connected in the first to give the Phillies a 2-0 lead. He launched a first-pitch fastball into the bushes beyond the center-field wall for his fourth homer in six games.

“I have to produce runs,” Howard said. “Whatever I can do to get the team going and provide a spark, I try to do.”

J.J. Hardy sliced the lead in half with a two-out homer in the third, but the Phillies answered with two runs in the fourth.

Howard nearly hit another two-run shot, settling for an RBI double when his drive to center bounced off the top of the wall. It was his major league-leading 129th RBI. Pedro Feliz lined a two-out double just over right fielder Corey Hart’s head to make it 4-1.

Fielder had gone 67 at-bats without a homer before going deep in the sixth.

Carlos Ruiz had an RBI double in the bottom half to give Philadelphia a two-run cushion. His eighth-inning suicide squeeze, a rarity for the Phillies, provided the final margin.

“I figured I might as well start trying to be a National League manager,” Manuel joked. “I heard Ruiz as he was going up the steps ask somebody what the squeeze sign was. I figured he wants to squeeze, so I let him do it.”

Also on Thursday:

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Cubs 3

Cardinals 2

ST. LOUIS — Rich Harden worked six solid innings and Kerry Wood got Albert Pujols to pop up with two men on for the final out in Chicago’s victory. Ryan Theriot, Derrek Lee and Mike Fontenot had RBIs for the Cubs, who lead Milwaukee in the NL Central by 5½ games with 16 to play. The Cardinals remained 4½ games behind the Brewers for the NL wild card.

Astros 6

Pirates 0

HOUSTON — Roy Oswalt threw a three-hitter for his second straight complete-game shutout and set a Houston record for consecutive scoreless innings. Houston has won 14 of 15 to pull within three games of NL wild card-leading Milwaukee, but it’s uncertain when the Astros will play again. The first two games of their weekend series against Chicago were postponed and Sunday’s matchup could be next with Hurricane Ike closing in on Texas. Oswalt (15-9), who had two RBIs, hasn’t allowed a run in 3213 innings.

Braves 8

Rockies 4

ATLANTA — Yunel Escobar’s three-run homer capped a five-run sixth inning for Atlanta, which completed a three-game sweep. The Rockies, who have lost five straight, fell 8½ games behind Los Angeles in the NL West. Braves rookie Jair Jurrjens (13-9) set a career high with 10 strikeouts, allowing eight hits and four runs in six innings.

Padres 11

Giants 3

SAN DIEGO — San Diego’s Adrian Gonzalez homered twice and drove in four runs to set career highs with 31 homers and 103 RBIs. Gonzalez, the Padres’ only All-Star this season, joined Fred McGriff (1991-92) and Phil Nevin (2000-01) as the only players in franchise history with consecutive seasons with 30 homers and 100 RBIs.

American LEAGUE

Blue Jays 6

White Sox 4

CHICAGO — Shaun Marcum pitched effectively for 713 innings and Toronto broke a scoreless tie with six runs in the eighth for its 11th win in 12 games. Chicago, which has lost four of five, remained one game ahead of Minnesota in the AL Central. Jim Thome hit his 538th homer off reliever Scott Downs in the eighth for the White Sox.

Royals 3

Twins 2

MINNEAPOLIS — David DeJesus had the game-winning single in the 10th inning for Kansas City. Minnesota wasted eight impressive innings by Francisco Liriano, his longest start since July 28, 2006. It matched the second-longest outing of his career.

Orioles 6

Indians 3

BALTIMORE — Nick Markakis had two hits and Melvin Mora, sidelined since Aug. 29 with a strained left hamstring, returned for Baltimore with a two-run double that gave him 99 RBIs. The Orioles earned a split of the four-game series, which began with Baltimore mired in an eight-game losing streak.

Angels 7

Mariners 4

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Francisco Rodriguez got the final three outs for his 57th save to tie Bobby Thigpen’s major league record, and Los Angeles beat Seattle. Thigpen set the record in 1990 with the Chicago White Sox. Jered Weaver had blanked Seattle on three hits over his six innings, and Garret Anderson drove in three runs. Weaver (11-10) had missed more than a week after cutting two fingers in a dugout accident on Sept. 2. He struck out three and walked three.

Rangers 6

Athletics 1

OAKLAND, Calif. — Hank Blalock homered, and Chris Davis and Joaquin Arias both drove in two runs for Texas. Dustin Nippert (3-4) matched his career high with seven strikeouts in five innings, allowing four hits and one run in his fourth start of 2008.