(Best E Casino) - Ben Sheets tries to string back-to-back wins together this afternoon when the Milwaukee Brewers wrap up their four-game series with the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park.

Sheets tossed a complete-game to improve to 5-1 on the year Wednesday in Pittsburgh, as he held the Pirates to one run and 11 hits, while striking out six without walking a batter, lowering his earned run average to 2.92.

The 29-year-old righty, who has two complete games to his credit this season, suffered his first loss of the year in his previous start, surrendering all six runs he allowed in the seventh inning of a 7-2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Sheets has faced Washington seven times and is 2-3 with a 4.37 ERA.

Milwaukee could certainly use a big start from its ace, as it tries to avoid going five games under .500 for the first time since it ended the 2006 season 75-87.

The Brewers' struggles continued on Sunday, as Elijah Dukes scampered home on a Guillermo Mota wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift Washington to a 7-6 win.

The Nationals had blown a six-run lead in the contest before recovering to win it. Dukes worked a one-out walk off Mota (1-3) and advanced to third on a Dmitri Young single, before racing home when the Brewers reliever uncorked the wild pitch.

Aaron Boone belted a two-run home run for the Nationals, who have won two of the first three games in the series. Wily Mo Pena added a two-run double.

Tim Redding started and was touched for five runs on 10 hits, while walking one and fanning seven in 5 2/3 winnings. Jon Rauch (3-1) earned the win with a perfect ninth for the Nats.

Corey Hart had a two-run homer, while Mike Cameron chipped in a two-run double for the Brewers, who have dropped three of the past four and eight of their past 11 games.

Manny Parra started on the hill for Milwaukee and surrendered six runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings.

Heading to the hill for the Nats this afternoon will be righty Jason Bergmann, who is 1-1 with a 5.47 ERA. Bergmann received a no-decision last Tuesday against the Philadelphia Phillies, despite pitching seven scoreless innings for the second straight start. Bergmann surrendered five hits in the 1-0 loss.

Bergmann will be making just his second-ever start against Milwaukee. He received a no-decision in the first one, allowing a run and two hits over six innings of that one.

Milwaukee won four of its six matchups with the Nationals last season.