Thu May 15 10:34:32 2008

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Sheets hopes to end slide in Brewers' finale with Dodgers

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(Sports Network) - Milwaukee Brewers starter Ben Sheets will try to put consecutive below-average outings behind him when he leads his team in the finale of a three-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers this afternoon at Miller Park.

Sheets has recorded back-to-back no decisions since a personal four-game winning streak. On May 4 at Houston, Sheets gave up four runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings of an 8-6 setback. He then faced St. Louis on Saturday and surrendered three runs and nine hits through seven innings, as Milwaukee lost the game by a 5-3 score.

The right-hander has faced the Dodgers nine times in his career, and sports a 3-5 record with a 3.30 earned run average.

Milwaukee had a three-game winning streak stopped with Wednesday's 6-4 loss to the Dodgers, falling to 4-2 on a seven-game homestand. Corey Hart finished with two hits, and RBI and scored a run for the Brewers, who are 11-8 at Miller Park this season.

Brewers starter Manny Parra added a pair of RBI at the plate and lasted 6 2/3 innings on the hill, allowing three runs -- one earned -- on seven hits for the no decision. Parra also struck out four and walked a pair of batters.

Guillermo Mota took the loss after giving up three crucial runs in the ninth inning.

Los Angeles put the brakes on a five-game losing streak with Wednesday's victory, as Juan Pierre went 3-for-5 with three RBI and Blake DeWitt had a solo home run and scored twice. Slumping center fielder Andruw Jones had a pair of hits and an RBI in a winning effort.

Derek Lowe started for Los Angeles and tossed six innings, giving up four runs on six hits for the no decision. Jonathan Broxton earned the win by getting the last two outs in the eighth inning, while Takashi Saito earned his sixth save of the year with a perfect ninth.

The Dodgers are 1-1 so far on a six-game road trip against the Brewers and Angels.

Toeing the rubber for LA in Thursday's series finale will be Chad Billingsley, who is 2-5 with a 4.89 ERA in nine games (7 starts) this season. Billingsley had a personal two-game winning streak come to an end Saturday against Houston, yielding five runs -- four earned -- on six hits in five innings of work.

The right-hander, who has allowed four or more runs four times this season, is 0-0 with a 16.20 earned run average in two relief appearances against Milwaukee (1 2/3 IP).

Los Angeles and Milwaukee split six meetings last season, with the Dodgers going 1-2 at Miller Park. LA is 13-7 in the past 20 matchups of this series.