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Nationals-Brewers Preview

Jul 30, 2009 - 5:11 AM By ANTHONY GIORNALISTA STATS Senior Writer

Washington (32-68) at Milwaukee (49-51), 2:05 p.m. EDT

A strong effort at the plate has given Milwaukee a brief break from a monthlong slide in the NL Central. Yovani Gallardo is certainly deserving of a similar performance from the Brewers' lineup.

Trying to win two straight for the first time in a month, the Brewers look to give Gallardo some rare run support in the finale of a four-game series with the Washington Nationals on Thursday.

Milwaukee (50-51) snapped a three-game skid with a 7-5 win over Washington (32-69) on Wednesday night.

The Brewers entered July in first place, but had lost 16 of 23 before earning their first win of this series. They lost the first two games against the Nationals by a combined score of 22-9.

Casey McGehee's two-run, pinch-hit homer with two outs in the sixth inning gave Milwaukee a 6-5 lead and helped put it in a position to win consecutive games for the first time since June 29-30. McGehee believes the Brewers can still make a playoff push.

"It's starting to get down to the dog days," McGehee said. "If we're going to be in it at the end, we've got to start taking care of business. The good thing is, we're not buried by any stretch of the imagination."

Mike Cameron also homered as the Brewers got a much-needed boost from their lineup.

Milwaukee, though, has done little to support its top starter over the last month. Gallardo (9-7, 3.09 ERA) has gotten a combined five runs to work with over his last five outings.

The right-hander relied on his own clutch hitting Saturday night, singling in the fifth to drive in the only run Milwaukee needed in a 4-0 victory over Atlanta. He gave up four hits and struck out six in 7 1-3 innings for his first win since June 26, against San Francisco.

Gallardo has driven in the winning run three times this season. His April homers were the difference against San Francisco's Randy Johnson and Pittsburgh's Ian Snell.

"You always can help yourself out," said Gallardo, who is making his first start against Washington.

The Nationals will counter with J.D. Martin (0-1, 7.50), who was removed after just 28 pitches against San Diego on Saturday night after a rain delay lasting over three hours forced him out of the game. The right-hander, who was making his second career start, allowed two hits in two scoreless innings in a 13-1 Washington victory.

Martin was looking to rebound after a poor major league debut July 20, when he surrendered five runs and eight hits in four innings as Washington lost 6-2 to the New York Mets.

The Nationals posted a 2.92 ERA in winning four straight before surrendering 11 hits to the Brewers. Despite that run, Washington still has baseball's worst record.

A victory would give the Nationals their first series win on the road since taking two of three against the New York Yankees from June 16-18. They're 12-36 with a 5.80 ERA away from Nationals Park.