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Brewers-Nationals Preview

Aug 21, 2009 - 4:17 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Milwaukee (58-62) at Washington (43-77), 7:05 p.m. EDT

The Milwaukee Brewers have been unable to take advantage of a favorable stretch in their schedule. That's certainly been the case on their current road trip.

The struggling Brewers look to avoid a season high fifth straight loss in the opener of a four-game series against the Washington Nationals on Friday night.

Milwaukee's seven-game road trip against a pair of last-place teams seemed like the ideal way to string some wins together and gain momentum as it tries to remain a postseason contender. The Brewers (58-62), instead, were swept in a three-game set at Pittsburgh after falling 3-1 on Wednesday.

The Brewers - 21-33 since they had a 1 1/2-game lead in the NL Central on June 18 - are 4-8 during a 22-game stretch against teams with losing records that was seen as their only path to the postseason.

"(People) keep saying that, but we also are a team under .500, you know?" Brewers manager Ken Macha said.

Though the Nationals (43-78) have the worst record in the majors, trying to avoid a fifth straight loss for the first time since Sept. 11-16 might not be easy for the Brewers. Washington, 17-12 since July 21, split a four-game set at Milwaukee from July 27-30, and is 4-3 at home against the Brewers since the start of the 2007 season.

"Crazy things happen in the game, but at the same time, the expectancy to beat certain teams should always be there," center fielder Mike Cameron told the Brewers' official Web site of the road trip.

Cameron had two hits and Ryan Braun drove in the lone run Wednesday for the Brewers, who are averaging 3.2 during their four-game skid.

Braun is 6 for 15 with two homers against the Nationals this season, but 0 for 3 versus Washington's scheduled starter J.D. Martin.

Prince Fielder, who's batting .370 with six homers and 13 RBIs in his last 11 contests, homered off Martin (2-2, 4.61 ERA) as the rookie took the loss for the Nationals after allowing five runs in six innings of a 7-3 defeat at Milwaukee on July 30.

Martin, however, will be trying to win his third consecutive start after giving up an unearned run in six innings of a 10-6 victory at Cincinnati on Saturday.

"He is a pitcher. He is not a flamethrower," interim manager Jim Riggleman told the Nationals' official Web site.

Milwaukee counters with Branden Looper (10-6, 5.03), who allowed four runs in six innings, but didn't receive a decision in an 8-5 loss to Houston on Sunday.

Though Looper is 0-1 with a 7.36 ERA in his last two starts, he allowed one run in six innings to earn the win in his only start against Washington while with St. Louis on April 4, 2008.

Hours after promoting acting general manager Mike Rizzo to the full-fledged GM job, the Nationals were swept in a three-game set by Colorado following a 4-1 loss on Thursday.

Adam Dunn, who's batting .211 with two homers against Looper, had two of the four hits for the Nationals, who scored eight runs against the Rockies.

Washington's Josh Willingham is 2 for 12 in his last three contests overall, but went 6 for 14 with a pair of grand slams - both during a 14-6 win on July 27 - against Milwaukee last month.