Milwaukee @ Atlanta preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 24, 2013 ) Milwaukee 2, Atlanta 3

Paul Maholm has 242 career appearances, but zero in the postseason. The southpaw starts Wednesday as the Atlanta Braves host the Milwaukee Brewers in the finale of a three-game set looking to make a final push for a spot on the playoff roster for the National League East champions. Maholm is 1-1 with a 4.55 ERA since returning from an elbow injury, but Freddy Garcia pitched well in Atlanta’s 3-2 victory Tuesday and remains the leading candidate to be Atlanta's fourth starter in the postseason.

The Brewers will shuffle their rotation for the season’s final days, shelving Wily Peralta in favor of top prospect Jimmy Nelson for Saturday’s start against the Mets. Peralta, who pitched 183 1/3 innings this season, will be one of the anchors in Milwaukee’s rotation for 2014 along with Kyle Lohse, who will take the mound for the series finale Wednesday. The Brewers may again be without shortstop Jean Segura, who is hampered by a strained left hamstring and experienced tightness while testing his leg before Tuesday’s contest.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Wisconsin (Milwaukee), SportSouth (Atlanta)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Kyle Lohse (10-10, 3.51 ERA) vs. Braves LH Paul Maholm (10-10, 4.44)

Lohse needed 100 pitches to get through five innings in his last start, allowing three runs on seven hits Thursday in losing to the Cubs. He fired his first complete game in his previous start Sept. 13 against Cincinnati, giving up one run on four hits in his first win since Aug. 20. He has reached double-digits in victories four of the past six years.

Maholm surrendered four runs on eight hits with no walks in 5 1/3 innings Friday at Chicago. He has limited opponents to three earned runs or less three times in five starts since coming off the disabled list. The 31-year-old beat the Brewers on June 23 in Milwaukee despite allowing four runs on eight hits in five innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Atlanta plans to start rookie P David Hale on Thursday, lining up Kris Medlen (Friday), Mike Minor (Saturday) and Julio Teheran (Sunday) to pitch on regular rest in the NL Division Series.

2. Milwaukee P Tom Gorzelanny will not pitch the rest of the season due to shoulder discomfort that has sidelined him since Sept. 2.

3. Lohse is 2-0 with a 3.52 ERA in four career starts at Atlanta.

PREDICTION: Braves 6, Brewers 5