Milwaukee @ Colorado preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 21, 2014 ) Milwaukee 9, Colorado 4

The first-place Milwaukee Brewers try for a three-game sweep against host Colorado on Sunday, and the struggling Rockies do not seem to have an answer for the juggernaut that has produced 22 runs in the first two contests. Milwaukee, which owns the best road record in the majors at 26-15, is averaging 7.5 runs while going 5-1 in the first six contests of a seven-game trek and leads St. Louis by a healthy 5 1/2 games in the National League Central. Milwaukee's Carlos Gomez extended his career-best hitting streak to 17 games with two hits Saturday and has reached base in 34 straight - the longest active run in the majors.

Colorado lost five straight and yielded 40 runs during that span, with its last three losses coming in spectacular fashion. The Rockies were no-hit Wednesday, yielded 13 runs and 19 hits in Friday's series opener and committed four errors in Saturday's 9-4 loss, one of which led to three runs scoring on a wild pitch. Milwaukee's Kyle Lohse is 5-1 with a 3.75 ERA in nine road outings this season as he opposes rookie Tyler Matzek, who split his first two major-league starts.

TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee), ROOT (Colorado)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Kyle Lohse (8-2, 3.09 ERA) vs. Rockies LH Tyler Matzek (1-1, 3.75)

Lohse yielded four runs (three earned) and four hits in six innings of a 7-5 victory at Arizona on Tuesday and hit two batters, which may have led to the Diamondbacks retaliating by plunking Ryan Braun. "You know what? They won tough-guy points today,'' Lohse told reporters of Arizona. "But I don’t know where the stats are for those. You’re going to play tough-guy stuff? Go ahead. We’re winning games.” Lohse is 5-3 with a 3.76 ERA in 11 starts against the Rockies - 2-3, 6.67 in five turns at Coors Field - but has not faced them since 2012 and has limited the Rockies' active roster to a .250 batting average with two homers in 60 at-bats.

Matzek yielded three runs and 10 hits in five innings of a 6-1 loss at Dodger Stadium on Monday in a homecoming of sorts for the Mission Viejo, Calif., native. "He had some traffic, but I thought he pitched out of it pretty well,'' Colorado manager Walt Weiss told reporters. "He gave us a chance to win, only giving up three runs, so I thought he did a nice job." Matzek allowed two runs and five hits while striking out seven in seven frames of an 8-2 victory over Atlanta on June 11 in his debut.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Brewers' Aramis Ramirez recorded three hits in each of his last two games but could miss Sunday's contest after manager Ron Roenicke told reporters the 35-year-old third baseman experienced tightness in his back after Saturday's game.

2. Colorado on Saturday optioned utilityman Kyle Parker and RHP Chris Martin to Triple-A Colorado Springs, selected the contract of RHP Wilton Lopez and transferred OF Michael Cuddyer (fractured left shoulder) to the 60-day disabled list.

3. Milwaukee is 20-40 all-time at Coors Field.

PREDICTION: Brewers 6, Rockies 2