Washington @ Milwaukee preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 24, 2010 ) Washington 3, Milwaukee 4

The Milwaukee Brewers are one win away from sweeping their second straight home series. They're hoping it does not come at the expense of another outfielder.

The Brewers look to complete a sweep of the Washington Nationals today when the teams meet at Miller Park in the finale of their three-game series.

In Friday's 7-5 comeback win, Milwaukee lost the services of Corey Hart due to a bruised right wrist. The All-Star suffered the injury when he crashed into the wall in foul territory in right field while trying to make a catch.

X-rays were negative and an MRI on Saturday revealed no serious damage. Hart is hoping to return to action sometime during the Brewers' series against the Cincinnati Reds that begins Monday.

Jim Edmonds replaced Hart on Friday and hit what proved to be the game-winning, two-run homer in the seventh inning. The veteran homered again in Saturday's 4-3 walk-off victory but left after six frames with tightness in his right Achilles tendon.

Milwaukee squandered leads of 2-0 and 3-2 before claiming its ninth win in 13 games. After closer John Axford allowed a run in the top of the ninth for his first blown save in 15 opportunities this season, Ryan Braun – who opened the scoring in the first with his 16th homer of the year – plated Rickie Weeks with a one-out single in the bottom of the inning.

Braun's blast extended the Brewers' streak of consecutive games with a home run to 13. It is the club's longest stretch since homering in a franchise-record 20 straight contests from July 1-24, 2008.

Washington had its own casualty Saturday as starter J.D. Martin left after just 2 1/3 innings with a bulging disk in his lower back. Martin, who allowed one run and three hits before exiting, will be placed on the disabled list with hopes of avoiding surgery.

The Brewers, who swept a three-game series here from the Pittsburgh Pirates just before the All-Star break, send Dave Bush to the mound Sunday.

Bush has lost each of his last two starts and three of his last four decisions. The 30-year old was pounded by Pittsburgh on Tuesday, allowing a career-high 10 runs – five earned – and nine hits in four innings of an 11-9 loss.

In five career outings against Washington, Bush is 3-2 with a 3.03 ERA. The right-hander has won each of his last three meetings with the Nationals.

Bush is 2-4 with a 4.29 ERA in 10 home starts this year.

Washington will counter with Ross Detwiler, who is expected to be recalled from Double-A Harrisburg prior to the game.

The sixth overall pick in the 2007 draft, Detwiler will be making his season debut. The left-hander made 14 starts and one relief appearance for the Nationals in 2009, going 1-6 with a 5.00 ERA.

Detwiler, who underwent hip surgery in February, tossed a rain-shortened complete game against San Francisco on June 4, 2009, surrendering four runs and 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings of a 4-1 loss.

The Nationals are concluding their 10-game road trip in which they are 3-6. The club has lost 28 of its last 36 contests away from home.