Philadelphia @ Milwaukee preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 2, 2013 ) Milwaukee 5, Philadelphia 7

The Philadelphia Phillies have won a season-high four straight games to reach .500 for the first time since April 14. The Milwaukee Brewers, who host the Phillies for the start of a four-game set on Thursday, have dropped three of their last four and are dealing with more controversy surrounding star player Ryan Braun. Philadelphia is breaking in a new star in Domonic Brown, who has nine home runs in the last 10 games.

The Brewers have one series win since the end of April, and that came when they took two of three at Philadelphia from May 31-June 2. Braun went 3-for-12 without an RBI in that series and has found himself in hot water again with a report that Major League Baseball could seek to suspend the slugger for up to 100 games due to his connection to alleged PED distributors Biogenesis of America. Braun sat out Wednesday’s 6-1 loss to the Oakland Athletics with a thumb injury and is day-to-day.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, WB17 (Philadelphia), Fox Sports Wisconsin (Milwaukee)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Tyler Cloyd (1-2, 4.76 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Wily Peralta (4-6, 5.94)

Cloyd was a tough-luck loser last time out, allowing three runs (two earned) over seven innings but a lack of run support proved costly versus Milwaukee. He held Braun hitless but gave up an RBI triple to Jean Segura and a run-scoring single to Logan Schafer. That marked a big return from the right-hander, who had been lit up for six runs and nine hits over 2 1/3 innings in his previous outing.

Peralta went up against Cloyd on Saturday and snapped a four-start losing streak by holding Philadelphia to two runs in seven frames. That marked the longest start of the season for the 24-year-old, who had gone 1-5 with a 7.71 ERA in six starts during May. Peralta is 2-4 with a 7.09 ERA in seven starts at home this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Brown went 6-for-11 with three home runs and eight RBIs in the three games against the Brewers last weekend.

2. Milwaukee C Jonathan Lucroy went 8-for-13 with three home runs and eight RBIs in the series at the Phillies.

3. Philadelphia has not spent a day above .500 this season.

PREDICTION: Phillies 4, Brewers 2