Los Angeles @ Milwaukee preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 21, 2018 ) LA Dodgers 2, Milwaukee 4

The Milwaukee Brewers were hardly in must-win territory two games into the second half of the season, but Saturday's victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers may be just what they needed to forget what had been a rough week and a half. One day after stopping a seven-game slide, the Brewers set their sights on a series victory Sunday when they host the Dodgers in the rubber match of their three-game set.

Milwaukee, which led or held a share of first place in the National League Central for all but one day from May 18-July 13, handed over control of the division to the Chicago Cubs last week midway through its 1-7 road trip leading into the All-Star break. The deficit reached 3 1/2 games following the Brewers' 6-4 defeat in the series opener, but they were able to get back on track with the return of Ryan Braun from the disabled list as he scored twice in Saturday's 4-2 triumph. The Dodgers did themselves no favors in the setback, however, committing three errors behind ace Clayton Kershaw - including two that led to both of Braun's runs. After reaching base four times in his Los Angeles debut Friday, Los Angeles slugger Manny Machado singled in five at-bats and grounded out in the ninth to end the game with a runner in scoring position.

TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, SportsNet LA (Los Angeles), FS Wisconsin, Dish455 (Milwaukee)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Alex Wood (5-5, 3.92 ERA) vs. Brewers LH Brent Suter (8-6, 4.39)

Wood is riding a four-game winning streak but has not factored into the decision in his last two following a no-decision against the Los Angeles Angels last Saturday, permitting three runs over six innings. Since beginning the season 1-5 with a 4.43 ERA in his first 13 turns, the Georgia product is 4-0 with a 2.95 ERA during his six-game unbeaten streak. Christian Yelich (11-for-29) is the only Brewer to log more than three at-bats against Wood, who is 2-0 with a 0.87 ERA in five appearances (one start) versus Milwaukee.

Suter bounced back from a pair of poor starts but still took a hard-luck loss last Saturday at Pittsburgh despite yielding one run on two hits across five innings. The 28-year-old Harvard product enters the second half of the season sharing the team lead in victories but has surrendered a home run in four straight outings and posted a 5.63 ERA over his last three. Machado (0-for-3) is the only Dodger to face Suter as he prepares to make his first career start versus Los Angeles.

WALK-OFFS

1. Yelich, who homered to spark a three-run rally in the sixth inning, is batting .500 during a five-game hitting streak.

2. Dodgers OF Joc Pederson went 2-for-3 on Saturday to increase his road batting average to .315 (.198 at home).

3. Milwaukee RHP Corbin Burnes earned his first big-league win by pitching two scoreless frames Saturday in his Miller Park debut, even escaping the bases-loaded jam he inherited with no outs in the fifth.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 5, Brewers 3