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Brewers-Marlins Preview

Jun 4, 2009 - 4:31 AM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

Milwaukee (30-22) at Florida (25-28), 7:10 p.m. EDT

Ryan Braun has been a whole lot better on the road than at home, even though his team hasn't been.

He'll try to continue his impressive hitting away from home Thursday and help the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers gain a split of a four-game series against the Florida Marlins.

Braun is hitting .387 with six homers and 24 RBIs in 28 road games compared to a .213 average with four homers and 10 RBIs in 23 contests at Milwaukee (31-22).

The All-Star left fielder hit a two-run homer and singled Wednesday night, and the Brewers scored three runs off bases-loaded walks in a 9-6 win over Florida (25-29). Milwaukee snapped a five-game road losing streak and halted a five-game slide in Miami.

The Brewers had not scored more than four runs in any of their previous eight games on the road, where they are 15-13 this season. They're 16-9 at home.

Braun had gone 1 for 7 in the first two games of this series as Milwaukee lost both. He has a .197 average with two homers and four RBIs in 16 games against the Marlins.

The Brewers, who have won only three of their last 15 at Florida, hope Dave Bush (3-1, 4.38) can rebound from his shortest start of the season.

The right-hander served up two homers in the first inning Saturday before exiting after four, allowing five runs and seven hits with three walks in a 9-5 win over Cincinnati.

"I stunk (Saturday), simply," Bush told the Brewers' official Web site. "I just had a real hard time with my command, had a real hard job of getting my fastball in the strike zone - at least where I wanted it to be."

Bush is 0-1 with a 7.59 ERA in his last two starts after going 3-0 with a 3.18 ERA in his previous six, which all resulted in wins for Milwaukee. That stretch included a 5-3 victory over Florida on May 14, when he yielded three runs - two earned - and six hits with seven strikeouts in seven innings.

Bush is 2-2 with a 5.63 ERA in four career starts against the Marlins.

Florida turns to Josh Johnson (4-1, 2.66 ERA), who is 2-1 with a 1.66 ERA in six home starts but hasn't won one since April 12 - 2-1 over New York. He's 0-1 in his last four games at Land Shark Stadium despite a 2.28 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 27 2-3 innings.

Johnson is coming off a strong road performance in beating the Mets, allowing two runs and five hits while fanning five in seven innings of Saturday's 7-3 win.

"I just go out there and battle, take it one pitch at a time," said Johnson, who hasn't won consecutive starts since winning his first two of the season with a 0.57 ERA.

A minor shoulder problem forced Johnson to exit his last start against Milwaukee after four innings on May 14. He allowed three runs and three hits with five walks opposite Bush.

Johnson is 1-0 with a 4.08 ERA in three starts versus the Brewers. Braun, Prince Fielder and Mike Cameron - Milwaukee's regular 3-4-5 hitters - have been limited to two singles in a combined 13 at-bats against him.