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Slugging Fielder lead Brewers against Marlins

Jun 1, 2007 - 2:52 PM Florida (26-28) at Milwaukee (30-24) 8:05 pm EDT

MILWAUKEE (Ticker) -- With 28 homers and 81 RBI last season, Milwaukee Brewers sluggerPrince Fielder had a good year by most accounts. However, with a strong June, he may be able to approach those numbers by the All-Star break this time around.

The Brewers will continue their four-game series Friday against the Florida Marlins at Miller Park.

Fielder, whose 13 home runs in May established a new franchise mark for a month, homered for the fourth straight game in the series-opening 4-3 win and tied Alex Rodriguez for the major-league lead with 19 blasts.

His 28 RBI during the month have helped him climb into fifth place in the National League in that category, three behind teammate J.J. Hardy and five behind league-leader Carlos Lee of the Houston Astros.

Brewers starter Jeff Suppan (6-5, 3.58 ERA) will look for an easier outing this time around, as he had the misfortune of opposing San Diego ace Jake Peavy in Sunday's 3-0 loss, allowing three runs and six hits in six innings.

He is 3-3 with a 3.32 ERA in 10 career starts against the Marlins.

Suppan will be opposed by Scott Olsen (4-4, 5.11), who allowed five runs and six hits in five frames in a 6-4 loss to the New York Mets on Sunday. The lefthander, who has allowed at least three runs in all but two of his 11 starts, is 1-0 with a 1.42 ERA in two career outings against the Brewers.

Florida will be looking forward to the arrival of new acquisition and former Marlins closer Armando Benitez, who was acquired on Thursday from the San Francisco Giants for reliever Randy Messenger.