Milwaukee @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 17, 2013 ) Milwaukee 1, LA Dodgers 11

Two of the premier outfielders in the National League will go head-to-head Friday when the Milwaukee Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers open a three-game series at Dodger Stadium. Ryan Braun of the Brewers beat out Matt Kemp of the Dodgers for NL MVP honors in 2011, then came back with more home runs (41) and RBIs (112) in 2012. Braun, a Southern California native, has six home runs and 20 RBIs through his first 17 games this season. Kemp suffered through an injury-filled 2012 campaign and continued to struggle earlier this spring, but is 8-for-16 in the last four games with a home run and five RBIs.

The Brewers had their nine-game winning streak snapped Wednesday in a 2-1 loss to the host San Diego Padres. They haven’t allowed more than three runs in seven of their last eight games, something they managed just three times in the first 12. The Dodgers have won three out of four after dropping six straight. They finished a three-game series Thursday with a 3-2 win against the host New York Mets then flew back to California where they’ll remain until departing for a three-game series against the Atlanta Braves beginning May 17.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Wisconsin (Milwaukee), Prime Ticket (Los Angeles)

PITCHING MATCHUPS: Brewers RH Hiram Burgos (1-0, 1.80 ERA) vs. Dodgers RH Josh Beckett (0-3, 4.68)

The Brewers decided to give starters Kyle Lohse and Wily Peralta a fifth day of rest and send Burgos out for a second straight start. He made his major-league debut Saturday and performed well, allowing one earned run and five hits in five innings of a 5-1 victory against the Chicago Cubs. "He’s got a lot of maturity, a lot of poise out there,” Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy told Brewers.com. "He’s very calm, very collected, and those are the kinds of traits you look for in a pitcher." With another good showing against the Dodgers, the 25-year-old Puerto Rican has a chance to cement himself as the No. 5 starter in the rotation.

Beckett has been below average in his four starts this season but the offense has been just as bad when he’s taken the mound. The Dodgers have scored six runs while Beckett has been in the game, including one in the last two. His ERA is very close to what it was last season (4.65), when he finished 7-14. Beckett is 1-2 in his career against the Brewers with a 8.84 ERA, the highest against any major league opponent. He hasn’t faced Milwaukee since 2008, when he gave up two home runs to Braun as a member of the Boston Red Sox, but still managed to earn the win in an 11-7 victory.

WALK-OFFS

1. Dodgers OF Andre Ethier is hitting .211 off right-handers this season, well below his .310 career mark.

2. Kemp is hitting .138 at Dodger Stadium this season (4-for-29). His career mark is .290.

3. Major League Baseball officials determined Thursday that umpires erred when they allowed Brewers SS Jean Segura to “steal first base” Friday against the Cubs. Segura and Braun were both trapped on second base. Segura headed back to the dugout thinking he was out, but stopped on first base when it was determined Braun, the trailing runner on the play, was deemed out. Umpires mistakenly allowed Segura to remain at first.

PREDICTION: Brewers 5, Dodgers 2