San Francisco @ Milwaukee preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 7, 2010 ) San Francisco 15, Milwaukee 2

Rookie Buster Posey has been producing at an All-Star level since getting the chance to play every day. The San Francisco Giants may be wishing they gave him a shot a little sooner.

Coming off the best game of his young career, Posey will try to lead the suddenly red-hot Giants to a four-game sweep of the lowly Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday.

The light-hitting Giants set season highs in runs and home runs (four) in Wednesday’s 15-2 rout.The star was Posey, who went 4- for-4 with two homers and six RBIs.

The fifth overall pick of the 2008 draft, who was called up on May 29, hit his first career grand slam in a seven-run fourth inning. He became the first Giants player to drive in six runs since Barry Bonds in 2007 and the team’s first rookie to accomplish the feat since Rich Parker in 1990.

The Giants traded Bengie Molina last week to give Posey more at bats. The 23-year-old has not let them down, hitting .520 (13-for-25) with four homers and nine RBIs in his last eight games.

Posey’s hot streak has helped inject some life into a dormant Giants offense that had managed more than three runs just twice in nine games prior to this series (1-8).

While the Giants have found an offensive groove, the Brewers’ booming bats have been unusually quite over the last three games. Milwaukee has been outscored 27-4 this series and has just one hit in its last 27 at-bats with runners in scoring position.

Ryan Braun has epitomized Milwaukee’s struggles. The All-Star left-fielder went 0-for-2 Wednesday and is hitless in his last 14 at bats.

On the bright side, Braun is is 4-for-10 with two homers and four RBIs against Thursday starter Barry Zito (7-4, 3.75 ERA), who has been going through his own struggles recently. The left-hander hasn’t won since June 12, going 0-2 with a 6.23 ERA in that span.

On Saturday, Zito was rocked for six runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings, but did not receive a decision in an 11-8 win over Colorado.

Things don't figure to get any better for Zito in Milwaukee.

He is just 1-3 with a 6.19 ERA in six starts against the Brewers, including 0-3 with a 7.88 ERA in five starts at Miller Park since joining the Giants in 2007.

Milwaukee looks to avoid a fifth straight loss behind Manny Parra (3-5, 4.45).

The left-hander won on Saturday despite allowing five runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings against St. Louis. Parra is 2-1 with a 4.37 ERA in six games – three starts – vs. San Francisco.

The Giants have won six of the last seven meetings in Milwaukee.