• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Brewers look to build on home success vs. Mets

Aug 1, 2007 - 2:02 PM NY Mets (59-47) at Milwaukee (58-49) 8:05 pm EDT

MILWAUKEE (Ticker) -- The Milwaukee Brewers have the Chicago Cubs nipping at their heels, but they are back in their comfort zone.

Claudio Vargas takes the mound as Milwaukee continues its three-game series with the New York Mets on Wednesday.

Geoff Jenkins hit a game-winning two-run homer in the 13th inning to give the Brewers a 4-2 win on Tuesday, which helped them maintain a one-game lead over the surging Cubs in the National League Central.

Milwaukee, which has seen its 8 1/2-game lead over Chicago on June 27 all but disappear, is a NL-best 37-17 at home.

Vargas (9-2, 4.30 ERA) has been instrumental in that record, going 6-0 at home with the Brewers winning all 10 of his starts here. Vargas, who has won three straight outings, allowed two runs and nine hits in eight innings of a 12-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday.

As for the Mets, they are in a divisional battle as well. New York holds a three-game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies and are 3 1/2 games ahead of the Atlanta Braves in the NL East.

Oliver Perez (9-7, 2.84) will start for the Mets, who have won four of six despite dropping Tuesday's opener. Perez is 2-1 with a 1.40 ERA in his three starts since the All-Star break, and lost his last time out despite not allowing an earned run.

The 25-year-old lefthander allowed five hits in six innings and committed a costly throwing error that led to five unearned runs in an 8-4 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday.