Milwaukee @ Atlanta preview
Turner Field
Last Meeting ( Jul 17, 2010 ) Milwaukee 6, Atlanta 3
The Milwaukee Brewers have a lot of ground to make up if they're going to make a playoff push in the National League Central.
Then again, if the Brewers can keep winning at Turner Field, they should be able to win anywhere. After taking two straight in Atlanta, the Brewers will try to claim the four-game series with a third consecutive win against the Braves this afternoon.
The Braves still hold the best home record in the National League at 31-12 - and a 4 1/2-game lead over the Phillies in the NL East - but thanks to the Brewers they have lost consecutive home games for the first time since April 21-22 against Philadelphia.
The Brewers are still nine games behind Cincinnati in the NL Central, but they have won five of six, and they've been doing it with the long ball. Milwaukee has hit 10 home runs in its past six games, pushing its NL-best homer total to 113.
All-Star outfielder Corey Hart is responsible for three of those recent homers, and he broke open Saturday's game with a three-run double off reliever Peter Moylan. Hart is hitting .385 with three homers and eight RBIs over the past six games.
The task of trying to slow down Hart and the rest of Milwaukee's hard-hitting lineup falls today to Derek Lowe, who has faced some tough luck lately.
Lowe (9-8, 4.35 ERA) has lost his last three starts and is winless in his last four, though it hasn't been his fault entirely. The Braves have scored a total of three runs in Lowe's last four outings.
Most recently, Lowe found himself on the wrong end of a shutout for the third time this season when he allowed two runs over 5 1/3 innings in a 3-0 loss to the New York Mets last Sunday.
Lowe beat the Brewers on May 12, holding them to two runs on six hits over six innings in a 9-2 victory. He is 4-1 with a 3.34 ERA in 10 career appearances against Milwaukee.
Hart (6-for-17, HR) and reserve infielder Craig Counsell (10-for-27) have fared well against Lowe over the years.
The Brewers send 27-year-old left-hander Manny Parra (3-6, 4.65 ERA) to the mound as they try to win their second consecutive series.
After starting the season in the bullpen, Parra's transition to the rotation started well enough. But he has been hit hard in his last three outings, allowing 15 runs - 13 earned - on 25 hits over 15 2/3 innings. He has surrendered four home runs during that stretch.
Parra hasn't made a start against the Braves yet this year, but he faced them in relief twice in May and gave up three runs over 3 1/3 innings.
Braves third baseman Chipper Jones was not in the lineup Saturday after suffering a mild left hamstring strain Friday, but he pinch hit in the ninth inning. Jones would do well to get back in the lineup today - he is 6-for-7 with two homers against Parra.
Second baseman Martin Prado (3-for-8, 2 HR) and Matt Diaz (3-for-8) also have had success against Parra.