Oakland @ Milwaukee preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 5, 2016 ) Milwaukee 8, Oakland 8

Former National League MVP Ryan Braun looks to become the fifth player in team history to reach 1,500 career hits when the Milwaukee Brewers host the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday night in the opener of a two-game interleague set. Braun has only one hit in nine at-bats versus the Athletics, but he is batting .337 at home this season.

Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy is in the midst of a torrid stretch, going 17-for-33 during a nine-game hitting streak to boost his batting average 41 points to .316. Milwaukee has won five of eight after settling for a four-game split in Philadelphia with an 8-1 loss in Sunday's series finale. Oakland appeared to be turning its season around by ripping off five straight victories, but it was outscored 23-9 in a three-game sweep at Houston over the weekend to drop back into last place in the American League West. Ex-Brewer Khris Davis, acquired from Milwaukee in the offseason, leads the Athletics in homers (14) and RBIs (36) but had to exit Sunday's game with an issue related to getting plunked on the elbow a day earlier.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, CSN California (Oakland), FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics LH Sean Manaea (2-3, 6.16 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Zach Davies (3-3, 4.53)

Despite an ugly ERA, Manaea is coming off a strong outing in which he registered a season-high eight strikeouts while limiting Minnesota to one run on five hits over six innings. It was the third quality start in the past four outings for the 24-year-old Manaea, who has pitched only once away from home -- with disastrous results. He lasted only 2 2/3 innings in his third career start at Boston on May 10 and was shelled for eight runs and 10 hits.

Davies won his second straight start with a sensational performance against St. Louis, tossing eight scoreless innings of three-hit ball while notching a career-high nine strikeouts. It marked the fifth time during his six-start unbeaten streak that Davies has permitted two earned runs or fewer and the first time he pitched beyond six innings. Davies has been solid at home with a 2-2 record and 3.41 ERA in his six starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. Athletics C Stephen Vogt is riding an 11-game hitting streak.

2. Brewers RHP Jeremy Jeffress has converted 15 of his 16 save opportunities.

3. Davis homered 11 times in May to become the first Oakland player with that many in a month since Jason Giambi (13) in September 2000.

PREDICTION: Brewers 5, Athletics 4