Milwaukee @ Philadelphia preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 19, 2012 ) Philadelphia 8, Milwaukee 0

The Milwaukee Brewers look to snap a season-high six-game losing streak on Friday when they begin a three-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. The Brewers have not held a lead in the past 59 innings, and they’ve won just five of their 27 games this month. If they fail to beat Philadelphia on Friday, the Brewers will tie the club record for losses in a month and set a new mark for worst winning percentage.

Phillies second baseman Chase Utley (oblique) won’t be available for another two to three weeks, but left fielder Domonic Brown is doing his part to help the team’s struggling offense. Brown, the reigning National League Player of the Week, has 14 hits in his last 38 at-bats along with 10 home runs this month. After batting seventh for much of the season, Brown was moved to the fifth spot on Thursday and singled twice to raise his average to .267.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Wisconsin (Milwaukee), Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia

PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Yovani Gallardo (3-5, 4.79 ERA) vs. Phillies LH Cole Hamels (1-8, 4.43)

Gallardo has lost a career-high four straight starts while posting a 5.40 ERA over that stretch. The 27-year-old failed to pitch past the fourth inning for the second time this season last Sunday, when he threw 94 pitches and recorded just 12 outs against the Pirates. Gallardo is 3-0 with a 1.74 ERA in three regular-season starts against the Phillies. He also faced Philadelphia in the 2008 postseason, tossing seven scoreless innings in two appearances.

Hamels lost his fifth straight start last Sunday, when he allowed five runs (three earned) over 6 1/3 innings against Washington. The 29-year-old lefty owns a 3.24 ERA over his past nine starts, but the Phillies have scored a total of 13 runs while he has been in those games. Ryan Braun is 7-for-25 with three homers and Rickie Weeks has two hits in 18 at-bats against Hamels, who is 6-2 with a 3.42 ERA in 10 career starts against the Brewers.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Phillies are 8-23 when scoring three runs or fewer.

2. Milwaukee is 3-13 over its last 16 road games.

3. Thirty of the Phillies’ last 33 home runs have been solo shots.

PREDICTION: Phillies 6, Brewers 4