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Durham joins Brewers for crucial series vs. Cardinals

Jul 21, 2008 - 1:37 PM Milwaukee (55-43) at St. Louis (57-43) 7:05 pm EDT

ST. LOUIS (Ticker) -- The Milwaukee Brewers are serious about making the playoffs and Ray Durham is the newest player to join their pursuit.

Durham and the Brewers try to move closer to their first postseason berth since 1982 when they begin a crucial four-game series against National League Central rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals.

Sitting just a few games behind the Chicago Cubs for first place in the NL Central, Milwaukee acquired reigning American League Cy Young Award winner CC Sabathia from the Cleveland Indians before the All-Star break.

Milwaukee is now hoping the addition of Durham, who batted .293 with three home runs and 32 RBI in 87 games for the San Francisco Giants, can erase their current three-game deficit to the Cubs and solidify their second base situation while regular starter Rickie Weeks tries to improve a .218 batting average and .326 on-base percentage.

"He brings a guy that is a really, really good offensive player, switch-hitter, can hit for power. He's a solid offensive

player," Brewers manager Ned Yost said. "He's a veteran player that is really good with younger players and fits right in to what our veterans bring every day into our clubhouse. He's going to fit in nicely."

The Cardinals, who are two games behind Chicago and a game in front of the Brewers, send Joel Pineiro (3-4, 4.52 ERA) to the mound on Monday.

Pineiro has just one win in his last 11 starts, a 2-0 victory against the Philadelphia Phillies on July 8. The 29-year-old righthander failed to build on the momentum of that outing, surrendering six runs and 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings but did not factor in the decision of an 11-6 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 13.

Seth McClung (5-5, 4.16) counters for the Brewers after posting a 3.86 ERA in his last three starts but is 0-2 over that span after receiving just three total runs of support.