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Brewers-Angels Preview

Jun 16, 2010 - 6:48 AM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

Milwaukee (28-37) at Los Angeles (36-32), 7:05 p.m. EDT

The Los Angeles Angels capped one of the most successful road trips in franchise history Sunday. The momentum hasn't carried into Anaheim.

Los Angeles looks to avoid getting swept at home for the first time in nearly three years Wednesday night when it faces a Milwaukee Brewers team that hasn't swept the Angels in California since 1988.

A 6-5 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday capped an 11-3 stretch on the road, giving the Angels their highest win total on a road trip in 48 years.

Back home for three games before facing the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field this weekend, Los Angeles (36-32) has not enjoyed its brief stay at Angel Stadium. The Angels lost 7-1 on Tuesday and have been outscored 19-3 while dropping the first two games to Milwaukee.

Joel Pineiro (5-6, 4.77 ERA) takes the ball for Los Angeles in the series finale, looking to win his third straight start while helping the team avoid a series sweep at home for the first time since June 25-27, 2007, versus Kansas City.

Milwaukee, which moved to the NL before the 1998 season, last swept Los Angeles in California from Sept. 19-21, 1988.

The Brewers (28-37), who have 12 hits in each of the first two games of the series, face Pineiro in an Angels jersey for the first time. Last season with St. Louis, the veteran right-hander was 2-0 with a 3.43 ERA in three starts versus Milwaukee.

Pineiro looks to build off his second complete-game victory of the season, Friday's 10-1 win over Dodgers. He matched a season high with seven strikeouts and allowed five hits.

"I felt good all the way," Pineiro said after retiring the final 14 batters. "I was able to relax and (Mike) Napoli called a great game."

Milwaukee closes out the first half of its six-game trip with Chris Narveson (5-3, 5.46) on the mound. Making his first career interleague start, the left-hander gave up two runs and six hits in Friday's 6-2 win over Texas.

Narveson was 1-3 with a 6.59 ERA over his previous five starts, but he struck out the side in the first inning to help him get his first victory in more than three weeks.

"Sometimes you get out there and you have this feeling that you have to make pitches that maybe you're not comfortable with or that aren't the right pitch in that situation," Narveson told the Brewers' official website. "So to go out there and be able to establish the game early, set a good tone, that was able to get me where I needed to be."

Narveson has never faced the Angels.

Corey Hart and Ryan Braun each have four hits and five RBIs in this series. Hart has driven in 35 runs in the last 30 games and leads the team in RBIs (47) and home runs with 17.

"Obviously, if I'm leading the team in home runs and RBIs, it just means those guys aren't hot yet," he said. "The fact that their best hasn't been there yet is a good sign for us."

Prince Fielder gave the Brewers a positive sign with a two-run shot Tuesday. It was his fourth homer in the past five games.

The Angels haven't lost three straight since a season-high seven-game slide April 30-May 6.