Thu May 8 11:09:23 2008

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Hendrickson, Marlins aim to keep up roll in finale with Brewers

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(Sports Network) - Southpaw Mark Hendrickson seeks a sixth straight win tonight, when the Florida Marlins host the Milwaukee Brewers in the third and final game of a midweek series at Dolphin Stadium.

Hendrickson, who was 4-8 with a 5.21 earned run average in 39 games (15 starts) with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2007, was beaten by the New York Mets in his initial start of the 2008 season. Since then, he's gone 5-0 with a no decision and has pitched into the sixth inning in all six starts, in which the Marlins are 5-1.

Hendrickson defeated San Diego, 6-4, in his last outing on Friday, allowing five hits and three runs in seven innings. He got a no decision against the Brewers on April 26 in Milwaukee after giving up five hits and two earned runs in six innings.

Lifetime against the Brewers, Hendrickson is 0-1 in three games - two starts - with a 4.85 earned run average in 13 innings.

For Milwaukee, right-hander Carlos Villanueva will make his sixth attempt at a second win of the season tonight.

The 6-foot-2, 213-pounder defeated San Francisco, 13-4, in his initial start of the year, but has since suffered three losses and picked up two no decisions in five starts.

He was tagged for nine hits and six runs in five innings of a 7-4 loss to Houston in his most recent outing, which came Friday at Minute Maid Park.

Villanueva allowed six hits and two runs in six innings against Florida on April 26, getting a no-decision in a head-to-head matchup with Hendrickson that the Brewers won by a 4-3 count.

He is 1-0 against the Marlins in four lifetime appearances (1 start) with a 1.74 ERA in 10 1/3 innings.

The Marlins have taken the first two games of this set. On Wednesday, Jorge Cantu and Dan Uggla hit back-to-back home runs in the sixth inning as Florida easily handled the Brewers, 6-2.

The Marlins won the series opener by a 3-0 score on Tuesday behind 8 2/3 shutout innings from Scott Olsen.

Florida's Mike Jacobs hit a two-run double in the third inning before leaving the game with a tight left quad. Hanley Ramirez collected two hits, two walks and two runs scored, while Jeremy Hermida knocked in a run and scored a run to help the Marlins win for the third straight game overall.

Burke Badenhop (1-2) dominated the early innings before running into trouble, but still earned his first major league win after allowing two runs on two hits in 5 2/3 innings. He also racked up a career-high seven strikeouts.

Rickie Weeks hit a two-run homer for the Brewers, who are mired in a five-game losing streak. Dave Bush (0-4) took the loss after being charged with six runs on five hits in six frames.

Weeks' homer snapped a 22-inning scoreless streak for the Brewers that stretched back to the fourth inning of Sunday's 8-6, 12-inning loss to Houston.

The Marlins won two of three games against the Brewers at Miller Park from April 25-27 this season.