Back at Miller Park with their ace on the mound, the Brewers try for a seventh straight home win over the Pittsburgh Pirates in the opener of a three-game set Friday afternoon.
Set to open a 10-game homestand, Milwaukee is 25-13 at home and faces the Pirates (40-44) for the first time at Miller Park since going 8-1 versus them there in 2007. The Brewers took two of three at Pittsburgh May 20-22.
Staff ace Ben Sheets (9-2, 2.83 ERA) hopes to bounce back for Milwaukee after allowing five runs and nine hits in seven innings of a 5-0 loss at Minnesota on Sunday.
Though the right-hander is 7-8 with a 2.97 ERA against the Pirates, he gave up a run and struck out six in a 4-1 victory at Pittsburgh on May 21.
Tom Gorzelanny (6-6, 6.18) looks for his second straight winning decision for the Pirates. He allowed two runs and eight hits in six innings, but didn't factor in the decision of a 4-3 loss to Tampa Bay on Sunday.
The left-hander has pitched well against Milwaukee, going 3-0 with a 3.19 ERA in six starts. He allowed two runs in five innings to beat the Brewers 8-4 on May 22.
Manager Ned Yost says the team's home fans have not seen the real Mike Cameron yet. Not at the plate, anyway.
While Cameron has lived up to his reputation as a fabulous defensive center fielder, exciting baserunner and strong clubhouse presence, he has struggled all season to find his stroke.
The 35-year-old veteran showed signs of breaking out in the final two games against Arizona. He delivered two huge late-inning, run-scoring hits in a 4-3 victory Wednesday and pounded a two-run homer Thursday that gave the Brewers a 5-0 lead -- a lead that eventually vanished during the Diamondbacks' stunning six-run rally in the ninth.
"Our fans haven't seen it yet," said Yost. "In spring training, he was phenomenal.
"That's what happens when he gets hot. He starts putting the ball in play, he starts driving the ball. He gets on base all the time, starts seeing the ball and getting his walks."
The Brewers knew Cameron was strikeout-prone when they signed him as a free agent. But he also had a career on-base percentage of .341 and above-average power.
Cameron has shown that power with 13 home runs in 188 at-bats. But he has drawn only 21 walks, resulting in a low .302 on-base percentage, to go with his 63 strikeouts.
DIAMONDBACKS 6, BREWERS 5: The Brewers did everything right for eight innings, building a 5-0 lead against Arizona ace Brandon Webb and getting six shutout innings from Manny Parra. Then, their bullpen did everything wrong in the bottom of the ninth. Guillermo Mota retired none of the three hitters he faced, allowing two infield hits and a walk. Brian Shouse threw only one pitch, which was laced for a three-run double by Chad Tracy. And Salomon Torres allowed hits to all three batters he faced, blowing his first save since taking over as closer. Torres had been 14-for-14 in save situations since taking over for Eric Gagne in the ninth.
--2B Rickie Weeks was back in the starting lineup after missing two games with food poisoning. Weeks went 0-for-5 with two strikeouts.
--1B Prince Fielder had only two hits in 36 at-bats (.056), with no homers and one RBI, on the Brewers' three-city trip to Atlanta, Minnesota and Arizona. During the trip, Fielder's batting average dropped from .292 to .264.
--RHP Eric Gagne made his first relief appearance since going on the DL on May 21 with rotator cuff tendinitis. Gagne, who lost his closer's role to RHP Salomon Torres during his absence, retired all three Arizona batters he faced in the eighth inning.
--SS J.J. Hardy extended his hitting streak to 15 games, the longest active streak in the majors, by going 4-for-5 with two doubles and a home run. During that streak, Hardy is batting .419 with 10 doubles, five home runs and 14 RBIs.
BY THE NUMBERS: 7-8 -- Brewers' record in interleague play.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "We just want to make sure when he gets back, he's healthy, for his sake and ours." -- Manager Ned Yost, on former closer Eric Gagne, who was activated June 29 after being on the disabled list for more than a month with a shoulder injury.