• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Brewers-Dodgers Preview

May 5, 2010 - 6:53 AM By BRETT HUSTON STATS Writer

Milwaukee (11-15) at Los Angeles (11-15), 10:10 p.m. EDT

The Milwaukee Brewers' longest road trip of the season couldn't have started much worse for the offense, which totaled two runs while losing three of the first four games.

A trip up the Southern California coast seems to have ignited the lineup.

After routing the Los Angeles Dodgers in the series opener, the Brewers look to continue the hot hitting Wednesday night against Chad Billingsley.

Milwaukee (11-15) hit two solo homers in San Diego. While that was enough to earn a 2-1 win Saturday, the Brewers got shut out by the Padres in the other three games over the weekend.

The Brewers, who have twice scored at least 17 runs this season, returned to potency in Los Angeles. Prince Fielder and Gregg Zaun homered and Ryan Braun doubled in three runs in Milwaukee's nine-run second inning Tuesday, paving the way to an 11-6 victory.

It was just the third homer for Fielder, who had 46 last year but is now batting .232 and has four hits in his last 28 at-bats.

"He takes this stuff personally," manager Ken Macha said. "He wants to be the guy that helps the team win every night."

Billingsley (2-1, 4.85 ERA) will try to get the Dodgers (11-15) back on track, which is what he's done individually over his last two starts. The right-hander posted a 7.07 ERA in his first three outings, but allowed one run in six innings April 25 at Washington, then held Pittsburgh to two runs over six innings in a 6-2 win Friday.

"He's getting there, I think he's finding more and more out about himself," manager Joe Torre told the Dodgers' official website. "All I know is two starts in a row, he has really been free and throwing the ball really well. I thought his velocity the last two games has been really good."

Billingsley is 2-0 with a 4.26 ERA in three starts against the Brewers. He's limited Milwaukee to a .191 average, but has walked 10 in 19 innings.

Fielder and Ryan Braun are a combined 2 for 12 against Billingsley, though Fielder has four walks.

Milwaukee may need another big offensive night with Doug Davis (0-3, 8.87) on the hill. The veteran left-hander's has a 5.14 lifetime ERA in April, but has been worse than usual early this season.

Davis thought he had turned a corner April 24, when he allowed two runs over 6 1-3 innings against the Chicago Cubs, but he was hit hard again Thursday in San Diego, surrendering six runs and eight hits over four innings of a 9-0 loss.

Davis is 0-3 with an 8.64 ERA in his last four starts at Dodger Stadium. He won't have to worry about facing an injured Manny Ramirez (12 for 26), but Matt Kemp has 10 hits in 23 at-bats against Davis.

Kemp hit .176 in his last eight games of April, combined with poor defense and baserunning that caused general manager Ned Colletti to criticize the young center fielder. Kemp, however, has five hits in 10 at-bats so far this month, and has also scored four runs in May.