Brewers-Cubs Preview

The Milwaukee Brewers are running out of ways to stop the bleeding.

After having their staff ace lose their interim manager's debut, the Brewers hope Ben Sheets can get them back on track as they continue their three-game series with the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night at Wrigley Field.

After Tuesday's 5-4 loss reduced the Cubs' magic number for clinching the NL Central to four, the Brewers (83-68) have virtually no chance at the division title, trailing by nine games with 11 to play. CC Sabathia was unable to shake Milwaukee's doldrums in interim manager Dale Sveum's first game since replacing the fired Ned Yost, and absorbed his first loss since joining the team in July, and that defeat could not have come at a worse time.

The defeat, coupled with Philadelphia's win over Atlanta, dropped Milwaukee one-half game behind the New York Mets in the NL wild-card race. The Brewers -- 3-12 in September -- are seemingly in a death spiral for the second straight year that could again cost them their first postseason appearance since 1982.

"We've been in that position for quite a long time and we lost it tonight. We have 11 games left to get it back," Sveum said, calling his first managerial experience in the big leagues "actually kind of cool."

"I had a lot of anxiety all day long, as well as yesterday. Right as the game started it seemed that everything calmed down."

Sveum now turns to Sheets (13-8, 2.97 ERA), the elder statesman of the rotation, to halt a five-game losing streak. But the right-hander, who does have one of Milwaukee's three wins this month, was tagged for five runs and nine hits in six innings of a 6-3 loss to Philadelphia on Thursday.

Sheets is 1-1 with a 4.86 ERA in three starts versus the Cubs this season, but was roughed up for season highs of six runs and 11 hits in 5 1-3 innings of a 7-1 defeat July 29 at Miller Park. He is 10-8 lifetime against Chicago, 6-4 at Wrigley.

Prince Fielder hit two home runs for the Brewers, but struck out against closer Kerry Wood with the tying run on base to end the game. He is 11-for-25 (.440) with four homers and seven RBIs in a seven-game hitting streak, but only 2-for-13 with a homer against Cubs scheduled starter Jason Marquis (10-8, 4.36).

"(Wood) made a good pitch," Fielder said, referring to a full-count slider that was a called strike three. "He's one of the best closers and it was fun going at each other. It's part of the game. Somebody has to win."

Chicago (91-58) has reeled off five straight victories after dropping eight of nine and is on track to have home-field advantage throughout the NL playoffs. Ryan Dempster continued the trend of strong starts by Cubs pitchers, giving up two runs while striking out nine in seven innings for his career-high 16th victory.

Marquis will be trying to build on a rotation that has compiled a 5-0 record and 1.29 ERA during the win streak, conceding just five runs in 35 innings. The right-hander has not pitched since Sept. 6, when he won despite walking five in 7 1-3 innings of a 14-9 victory at Cincinnati, giving up two runs and five hits.

He was reached for five runs and 10 hits in five innings when matched up against Sheets at Wrigley Field on April 29, and is 5-7 with a 4.27 ERA in 14 starts and 16 lifetime appearances versus Milwaukee.