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Giants LHP Zito looks to bounce back

Apr 6, 2008 - 1:37 PM San Francisco (1-4) at Milwaukee (4-1) 2:05 pm EDT

MILWAUKEE (Ticker) - Barry Zito takes the mound Sunday as the San Francisco Giants try to avoid a three-game sweep at the hands of the Milwaukee Brewers.

A former American League Cy Young Award winner, Zito (0-1, 7.20 ERA) was tagged for four runs and eight hits in five innings in a 5-0 setback to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Opening Day.

The lefthander is 1-2 with a lackluster 7.27 ERA in three career starts against the Brewers, who have outscored the Giants, 18-8, in the first two games so far.

Milwaukee counters with Ben Sheets (0-0, 0.00 ERA), who yielded two hits with seven strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings in a no-decision against the Chicago Cubs last Monday.

The hard-throwing Sheets has been solid in six lifetime starts against San Francisco, posting a 3-2 record with a 2.86 ERA.

Ryan Braun and Gabe Kapler both belted their first homers of the season while Manny Parra took a no-hitter into the sixth inning, leading the Brewers to a 5-4 victory on Saturday.

"I don't know if it's as good of stuff as I've ever had, but that's what I expect out of myself," Parra said. "That's me being aggressive, that's the way I was early in spring training and that's me pitching with the right mind-set."