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Brewers-Braves Preview

Jul 18, 2010 - 4:31 AM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

Milwaukee (41-50) at Atlanta (53-37), 1:35 p.m. EDT

Emerging from the All-Star break with a seven-game homestand seemed like a good chance for the Atlanta Braves to extend their lead atop the NL East. After a rocky start, however, they're in danger of losing only their second series at Turner Field.

Derek Lowe will try to help the Braves salvage a split of this four-game set against the hot-hitting Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday.

Atlanta (53-38) owns the best home record in baseball at 31-12, so returning from the All-Star break to host seven games looked like an opportunity to continue dominating opponents at Turner Field.

The Braves beat Milwaukee 2-1 on Thursday, but they've dropped back-to-back meetings, scoring three runs in each contest. They fell 6-3 on Saturday as the Brewers erased a one-run deficit by scoring five in the seventh.

Atlanta leads the division by 4 1/2 games on second-place Philadelphia.

The Braves will now turn to Lowe (9-8, 4.35 ERA) to avoid losing a home series for the first time since dropping two of three to the Phillies from April 20-22.

Lowe, however, could use some help. The right-hander is 0-3 with a 2.88 ERA in his last four starts with all of them ending in Atlanta losses. The offense provided him with two total runs of support in that span.

"D-Lowe has pitched well," manager Bobby Cox told the team's official website. "We're just not getting him a whole lot of runs lately."

Lowe was effective again last Sunday, yielding two runs in 5 1-3 innings while getting outpitched by Johan Santana in a 3-0 loss at New York. His previous outing six days earlier came opposite a five-hitter from Roy Halladay in a 3-1 loss at Philadelphia.

Lowe is 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA in two starts against the Brewers, and he won't have to worry about seeing an ace take the mound opposite him Sunday.

The Brewers, who have won eight of 12 at Turner Field, are scheduled to give the ball to Manny Parra (3-6, 4.65) as he tries to rebound from his worst performance of the season.

The left-hander was tagged for season highs of six runs and 10 hits in five innings of a 9-3 loss to San Francisco on July 8. He has a 7.47 ERA over his last three starts.

Parra may be in for another rough outing. He's 0-1 with a 7.71 ERA in four games - two starts - against Atlanta, and he took the loss in a 9-2 defeat May 12, giving up two runs in one inning of relief.

However, Milwaukee is hot at the plate, hitting .289 with 10 homers and 31 runs during a 5-1 stretch.

Corey Hart, who had a three-run double in the seventh Saturday, has been spurring the offense with a .394 average, three homers and eight RBIs over his last eight games. The right fielder is 6 for 17 with a homer against Lowe.

The Braves could have Chipper Jones back in the lineup after he was limited to pinch-hitting duties Saturday due to a mild left hamstring strain suffered Friday. Jones is 6 for 7 with two homers off Parra.