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Padres, Brewers aim to engineer runs for division crown

Sep 28, 2007 - 2:40 PM San Diego (88-71) at Milwaukee (81-78) 8:05 pm EDT

MILWAUKEE (Ticker) -- The San Diego Padres and the Milwaukee Brewers both have just three games left to make their final charge towards the postseason.

Future Hall of Famer Greg Maddux will take the mound as the Padres look for their fourth consecutive victory when they continue a crucial four-game series with the Brewers on Friday.

San Diego leads the National League wild card, but also sits just one game behind the Arizona Diamondbacks (89-70) in the division race. Arizona will kick off a three-game series with the surging Colorado Rockies (87-72), who have won 11 straight contests and have pulled to within two games of the NL West and one game in the wild card.

Milwaukee will need a lot of help to get in the playoffs, trailing the Chicago Cubs (83-76) by two games in the NL Central. Chicago, which was just swept by the lowly Florida Marlins, will begin a three-game set with Cincinnati Reds.

The Padres will hand the ball to a proven veteran in Maddux (13-11, 4.10 ERA). The four-time NL Cy Young Award winner has won 13 games in each of his last 20 seasons.

The 41-year-old Maddux has won three of his last five starts, including two of three on the road. He was roughed up in his last outing, giving up five runs and eight hits in 3 2/3 innings of a 7-3 loss to the Rockies on Sunday.

With the Brewers desperate for a win, the wrong guy might be heading to the mound. Chris Capuano (5-12, 5.09 ERA) has lost his previous 12 decisions. And worse yet, the Brewers are winless the last 21 times Capuano has pitched.

The 29-year-old lefthander is only getting the start because Ben Sheets in unable to go with an injured hamstring.

Milwaukee has lost six of its last nine games, including a 9-5 loss in Thursday's opener.