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Brewers hope to get on track in opener with Reds

Mon 8th, September 2008

(Sports Network) - The Brewers failed to capitalize on the help the Reds gave them over the weekend, and now Milwaukee must watch out for a Cincinnati club that is doing its best to shake up the playoff race.

The Brewers and Reds open up a three-game series tonight at Miller Park.

Cincinnati won two of three over the weekend from the National League Central- leading Chicago Cubs, the only team ahead of the Brewers in the standings. However, Milwaukee is just 2-5 on a 10-game homestand after splitting a four- game series with the woeful Padres.

The Brewers were on the verge of getting no-hit by San Diego's Chris Young on Sunday until Gabe Kapler connected on a two-out solo homer in the eighth, the only run Milwaukee would score in a 10-1 setback.

Manny Parra gave up six runs -- only one earned -- on six hits in five innings. The Brewers' poor fielding continued to hurt them, as they committed two costly errors in a five-run third inning for the Padres.

Milwaukee still trails Chicago by four games in the standings and also holds a four-game edge over Philadelphia for the wild card spot. The Brewers, though, have been outscored 36-16 so far on their homestand and are averaging just 2.3 runs per game.

Dave Bush was outstanding in August for Milwaukee, but hit a bump in the road in his last start.

Slated to go tonight for the Brewers, Bush was 4-0 with a 2.12 earned run average in five starts last month, including a win over the Reds on August 5, before getting tagged for six runs on seven hits in five innings versus the Mets on Wednesday.

The right-hander fell to 9-10 on the season with a 4.33 ERA. He has split two starts versus the Reds this year and is 2-3 with a 7.29 ERA in nine career starts against them.

The Reds, meanwhile, have won three of four and finished off their series win over the Cubs with a 4-3, come-from-behind win on Sunday. Cincinnati trailed by two runs heading into the bottom of the ninth before Chris Dickerson connected on a two-run hit with the bases loaded to tie the game before Jolbert Cabrera's game-winning RBI single lifted the Reds to victory.

Cincinnati wrapped a nine-game road trip 6-3 with the win.

Edinson Volquez starts for the Reds and he has won his last three decisions to get to 16-5 on the year with a 3.12 ERA. He is coming off a no-decision on Wednesday versus the Pirates, as he allowed four runs on six hits over seven innings with a career-high 13 strikeouts.

The 25-year-old right-hander, who has 174 strikeouts in 170 innings this year, is 8-3 with a 2.22 ERA in 14 road starts this year and has also split two starts versus Milwaukee in 2008.

These two clubs have split 12 meetings so far this year, but the Reds have captured four of six at Miller Park.