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Brewers-Padres Preview

May 2, 2010 - 5:57 AM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

Milwaukee (9-14) at San Diego (15-8), 4:05 p.m. EDT

With his team's eight-game home winning streak now over, Jon Garland will try to get the San Diego Padres back on track at Petco Park.

Garland looks to win his third straight start Sunday when the NL West-leading Padres try to post their third straight series victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.

After outscoring the Brewers by a combined 12-0 in the first two games of the series, San Diego (15-9) fell 2-1 on Saturday for its first home loss since April 15. The loss also dropped the Padres one game behind St. Louis for the best record in the NL.

Yovani Gallardo helped Milwaukee snap a four-game losing streak with a season-high 11 strikeouts in seven innings of one-run ball. He also hit a solo homer for the Brewers' first run in 25 innings while snapping a 26-inning scoreless streak for the Padres.

Despite Saturday's loss, San Diego's pitching staff has been among the best in majors with a 2.88 ERA, and Garland (2-2, 2.57 ERA) has been a significant contributor. The right-hander is 2-0 with a 1.00 ERA as the Padres have won his last three starts.

After throwing 30 pitches in the first inning, Garland retired 12 straight at one point and matched a career high with 10 strikeouts in Tuesday's 4-1 victory at Florida. The only other time Garland fanned 10 was Aug. 24, 2003, while with the Chicago White Sox.

"(Strikeouts are) something I really don't like because it cuts my innings down," he said. "I'm a guy that likes to pitch to contact, get quick outs, but I'm not going to argue with it as well."

Garland is 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA in two starts against Milwaukee, and hasn't fared well in his career against Brewers catcher Gregg Zaun.

Zaun, who is hitting .467 in his last four games, is 11 for 27 in his career against Garland. The .407 average is Zaun's highest against any pitcher when facing him a minimum of 25 times.

The Brewers (10-14) will give the ball to Randy Wolf (2-1, 3.34) in the finale of the four-game set.

The left-hander was in line for his second straight victory after allowing two runs and 10 hits, but all-time saves leader Trevor Hoffman, who recorded 552 in 16 seasons with the Padres, allowed five runs in the ninth inning of Tuesday's 7-3 loss to Pittsburgh.

"Prior to that, Randy Wolf pitched a great game," said Hoffman, who worked a perfect ninth Saturday for his first career save as a visitor in San Diego. "He laid everything out there on the line with 100-plus pitches."

Wolf went 6-10 with a 4.74 ERA in 21 starts for San Diego in 2008 before getting traded to Houston. He is 1-0 with a 1.96 ERA in his last three starts against the Padres.

Adrian Gonzalez, who is 6 for 17 lifetime versus Wolf, had his first hit of the series Saturday with an RBI single before getting ejected in the eighth inning for arguing a called strike three.

Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun had two hits Saturday, and is batting .346 during a six-game hitting streak.

San Diego has won seven of 10 against Milwaukee and 14 of 20 at Petco Park in this matchup.