San Francisco @ Milwaukee preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 25, 2014 ) San Francisco 5, Milwaukee 4

The Milwaukee Brewers look to turn their fortunes around and hold on to the National League Central lead when they host the surging San Francisco Giants on Tuesday in the opener of a three-game series. The Brewers have dropped five of their last seven and lead St. Louis by a game while Pittsburgh is 1½ back in the division. Milwaukee, which visits San Francisco in the final series of the month, hopes to continue its luck from 2013 when it beat the Giants in five of seven games.

The Brewers have posted 21 runs in their last four games, but will face one of the top pitching staffs in the NL (3.35 ERA). San Francisco has won four of its last five contests to solidify its spot atop the NL’s wild-card race after getting three RBIs from Pablo Sandoval to beat the New York Mets 4-3 on Monday. The Brewers must deal with Hunter Pence, who had a Giants season-high seven RBIs in the series against the Mets.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco), FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Tim Lincecum (9-7, 4.21 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Jimmy Nelson (1-2, 4.30)

Lincecum has gone four outings without a victory, although he registered a save in one of them, and allowed 11 runs over 7 2/3 innings in his last two turns. The 30-year-old had permitted one run total in four starts, including a no-hitter, before his recent winless stretch. Ryan Braun is 7-for-21 with two homers versus Lincecum, who is 4-3 in 10 career starts with a 3.97 ERA against Milwaukee.

Nelson was scratched from his start Saturday due to a blister, but is expected to be ready to face the Giants for the first time in his career. The University of Alabama product won his first start this season at Miami with 5 2/3 scoreless innings May 25 before returning to the minors. Nelson is 0-1 over his last two outings, yielding five runs over 13 innings combined while striking out 11.

WALK-OFFS

1. San Francisco SS Brandon Crawford went 13-for-26 with two homers and seven runs scored against the Brewers last season..

2. Milwaukee 2B Scooter Gennett, who boasts a team-best .305 batting average, was limited to pinch-hitting duty Sunday due to quad tightness.

3. Giants RHP Santiago Casilla is 8-for-8 in save opportunities and has allowed only one run on six hits in 17 innings since mid May.

PREDICTION: Giants 6, Brewers 2