• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Braves-Brewers Preview

Jul 23, 2009 - 10:51 PM By DAN PIERINGER STATS Writer

Atlanta (49-46) at Milwaukee (48-47), 8:05 p.m. EDT

The Milwaukee Brewers are hanging around in the tightly packed NL Central race despite struggling throughout July.

A matchup with Atlanta Braves starter Javier Vazquez, though, doesn't bode well as they try to break out of their slump and regain control in the playoff chase.

The Brewers look to bounce back from their latest disheartening defeat Friday night when they host the Braves, winners of three straight games with Vazquez on the mound.

Milwaukee (48-47) is in the thick of a crowded division race, but recent results haven't been encouraging. Since finishing June with a two-game lead in the Central, the Brewers have lost 12 of 18. They haven't won a series since taking two of three against the New York Mets from June 29-July 1.

Milwaukee recorded at least 10 hits in each of its last four games but won just once in that stretch. It went 2 for 9 with runners in scoring position and stranded seven in an 8-7 loss at Pittsburgh on Wednesday night, its third one-run defeat of the month.

Getting back on track could be a challenge against Vazquez (7-7, 2.86 ERA), who ranks among the league leaders in ERA and strikeouts (141).

A valuable addition to Atlanta's rotation over the winter, Vazquez has been particularly strong lately, going 3-1 with a 1.34 ERA in his last five starts.

The Braves (49-47) have matched a season high by winning the last three games started by the right-hander. Vazquez gave up one run and six hits in seven innings of a 7-1 victory over the Mets on Sunday.

"When he has that kind of stuff and command, it's a long night," New York third baseman David Wright told the Braves' official Web site.

Vazquez is 5-7 with a 4.87 ERA in 15 starts versus the Brewers, and 1-2 with a 2.17 ERA in four outings against them since the start of the 2003 season.

Milwaukee catcher Jason Kendall is 11 for 29 (.379) versus Vazquez, while reserve Frank Catalanotto is 10 for 26 (.385) against him.

Vazquez's recent success is one reason the Braves have turned their season around. They won 15 of 21 before falling 5-1 to San Francisco on Thursday in the finale of a 6-2 homestand.

"I'm not going to harp on any of the bad stuff that happened today," third baseman Chipper Jones said. "We played an awesome homestand. We beat some good pitchers."

Atlanta will face another one in Manny Parra (4-8, 6.37), who is scheduled to take the mound Friday. In two outings since spending a month in the minors, Parra has held opponents to one run and eight hits while striking out 13 in 13 innings.

"He just had an overall makeover in attitude and feeling good about himself," manager Ken Macha told the team's official Web site about the left-hander's minor league stint. "We're hoping this is the new Manny Parra for 2009."

Parra gave up five runs in 5 2-3 innings of his only previous start against the Braves on June 7. The Brewers lost 8-7.