(Best E Casino) - Ben Sheets tries to follow up a sensational first half of the season this afternoon when he toes the hill for the
Milwaukee Brewers in the second test of their three-game series with the
San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park.
Sheets has remained relatively injury free this season and is 10-3 with a 2.85 earned run average. His strong first half earned him the right to start for the National League at Tuesday's All-Star Game, where he allowed one hit and struck out three in two scoreless innings in the AL's 4-3 win.
The 30-year-old righty, though, has lost two of his last three decisions for the Brewers. Sheets lost to the Colorado Rockies on July 9, surrendering three runs and five hits in six innings. However, he did fan a season-high 11 batters in the loss.
Sheets defeated the Giants earlier in the year and is 4-2 lifetime against them with a 2.25 ERA in seven starts.
Milkwaukee can only hope Sheets pitches as well as CC Sabathia did in the opener of this series, as the big lefty pitched his second consecutive dominating complete game effort in Milwaukee's 9-1 rout.
Sabathia (3-0) allowed only the one run on four hits without walking a batter. He fanned 10, doubled and scored a run. This after he went the distance in the Brewers last game before the break helping his cause at the plate with a home run.
Prince Fielder and Mike Cameron both hit three-run homers while J.J. Hardy drove in two runs for Milwaukee, which owns a modest two-game winning streak.
Matt Cain (5-8) took the loss, allowing four runs -- three earned -- on seven hits and five walks in six plus innings. The right-hander struck out five for San Francisco, which has lost seven of its last eight overall.
Aaron Rowand hit a solo home run in the eighth, one of only four hits for the Giants.
San Francisco will pin its hopes tonight on young lefty Jonathan Sanchez, who is 8-5 with a 3.97 ERA. Sanchez was tagged with the loss in his last start before the break on July 9, as he allowed three runs and three hits in four innings.
Sanchez lost to the Giants earlier in the year and is 0-1 in his career against them with a 14.46 ERA in five games, two of which have been starts.
Milwaukee swept the Giants at Miller Park earlier in the season, but has lost five of six in San Francisco.
