The season gets no easier for the San Francisco Giants, who begin a three-game series Monday against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Not only do the Brewers lead the National League Central, but the Giants also have struggled at Miller Park, where they lost their last five games in 2006. The last three defeats were decided by two runs or fewer, a pattern which has continued into this season for the Giants.
Although Miller Park has a reputation as a hitter's haven, several Giants have fared poorly there, including Ray Durham (.241 career average), Ryan Klesko (.147), Mark Sweeney (.224) and Omar Vizquel (.219).
Barry Bonds should attract more than his usual share of attention in Milwaukee. Bonds homered Sunday to hike his career total to 748, leaving him seven behind all-time leader Hank Aaron. Milwaukee happened to be where Aaron began his career with the Braves in 1954, a fact that always gets mentioned when Bonds comes to town.
Pitching matchup
SF: LHP Noah Lowry (6-5, 3.46 ERA)
Lowry ended a stretch of three consecutive starts without a win last Tuesday against Toronto, working six innings and allowing two runs on Alexis Rios' third-inning homer. He has worked into at least the seventh inning in nine of his first 13 starts. Lowry's 0-1 with a 7.84 ERA in two career appearances against Milwaukee, both at Miller Park.
MIL: RHP Yovani Gallardo (MLB debut)
This will be the Major League debut for Gallardo, 21, who was 8-3 with a 2.90 ERA in 13 starts at Triple-A Nashville. Gallardo led the Minor Leagues with 110 strikeouts at the time of his promotion. He throws a low-90s fastball and a quality curveball, and can also mix in a changeup.
Player to watch
This series might be the time for Bonds to accelerate offensively. He owns a .373 lifetime average (19-for-51) at Miller Park with six home runs.