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Marlins-Brewers Preview

Sep 24, 2010 - 4:33 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Florida (76-75) at Milwaukee (70-81), 8:10 p.m. EDT

Corey Hart has been one of the few bright spots during the Milwaukee Brewers' dismal season.

After setting a career high for home runs in his last game, the All-Star looks to help the Brewers to a fifth consecutive home win over the Florida Marlins on Friday night.

Milwaukee (71-81) is out of postseason contention, but Hart continues to fare well at the plate. The right fielder homered for the second straight game in Thursday's 8-3 win over Florida.

After struggling late in 2008, most of 2009, and enough in spring training to lose his starting job on opening day, Hart has set career highs with 30 homers and 96 RBIs. He is batting .343 in his last eight games.

"A lot of it is sometimes it takes your ego getting squished a little bit to find that fire and to fight back," said Hart, who signed a $26.5 million, three-year extension in August

Hart went 3 for 5 Thursday, and is 6 for 19 with three home runs and six RBIs this season against Florida (76-76).

Casey McGehee also added three hits in the opener for Milwaukee, which totaled 21 runs and 34 hits while winning two in a row.

The Brewers could be in for another big night against scheduled starter Andrew Miller (1-3, 8.17 ERA), who looks to avoid losing his fourth straight start.

The left-hander has allowed 19 runs and walked 10 over 10 1-3 innings during his last three starts. He gave up five runs and walked four in 1 1-3 innings of the Marlins' 13-3 loss to the Cubs on Sunday.

"No command, no stuff, and bad results," Miller said.

Miller allowed four runs and walked four in 4 1-3 innings, but did not factor in the decision of a 7-4 win in his only previous appearance versus Milwaukee on June 1, 2009.

After pitching a pair of scoreless innings in relief this month, right-hander Mark Rogers (0-0, 0.00) will make his first career start for the Brewers.

The fifth pick in the 2004 draft has overcome two shoulder surgeries to finally reach this point.

"I haven't had to think about my arm for a while now," Rogers' told major league baseball's official website. "All I had to focus on was executing a pitch."

Rogers might not have to face All-Star Hanley Ramirez, who has missed two straight games and could be done for the season because of a sore left elbow. The shortstop has batted .300 with 21 homers and 76 RBIs in 141 games.

Logan Morrison will be in the Marlins lineup after he reached base safely in his 42nd straight game via a walk Thursday. That ties the Yankees' Mark Teixeira for the longest streak in the majors this season, and is four games from the Marlins record held by Luis Castillo.

"It would've felt better if we won the game," said Morrison, who went 0 for 3.

The rookie outfielder is batting .302 with in 52 games this season.