Milwaukee @ San Diego preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 23, 2014 ) San Diego 2, Milwaukee 5

The Milwaukee Brewers look to bolster their lead in the National League Central when they open a nine-game road trip against the San Diego Padres on Monday. Milwaukee salvaged the finale of its three-game series with Pittsburgh to finish a 2-3 homestand, but the division leader has made itself at home on the road with a 36-27 mark. Aramis Ramirez went 5-for-9 with two runs scored in his last three contests for the Brewers, who own a 1 1/2-game advantage over second-place St. Louis.

Like Milwaukee, San Diego also escaped a sweep in its last series as Yasmani Grandal homered and drove in a career-high four runs in his team's 7-4 triumph over Arizona. The 25-year-old's performance Sunday eclipsed the sum total of six career contests versus Milwaukee, against which he is 3-for-15 with six strikeouts. The Padres, who open a 10-game homestand after finishing up a 3-7 road trip, own a 34-27 mark at Petco Park.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee), FSN San Diego

PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Kyle Lohse (11-7, 3.49 ERA) vs. Padres LH Eric Stults (6-13, 4.53)

Lohse returns to the rotation after missing one turn due to a sprained right ankle. The 35-year-old fell to 0-3 with a 6.63 ERA in his last four starts after yielding four runs on seven hits in three innings in a 4-2 setback to the Chicago Cubs on Aug. 13. Lohse, who last won July 23, improved to 6-4 in his career versus San Diego after allowing two runs on five hits in seven innings en route to a 5-2 triumph April 23.

Stults is slowly turning around his horrific season after recording a sterling performance against the Los Angeles Dodgers to improve to 3-0 with a 1.46 ERA in his last four outings. The 34-year-old, who has permitted just four earned runs in that stretch, yielded one on four hits in five innings en route to a 4-1 victory Wednesday. Stults has struggled in a pair of relief appearances versus Milwaukee, surrendering four runs in as many innings while allowing the opposition to bat .375 against him.

WALK-OFFS

1. Milwaukee OF Ryan Braun, who had an RBI single in Sunday's 4-2 win, went 7-for-22 with four runs scored in his last five games.

2. San Diego 3B Yangervis Solarte went 4-for-12 versus Arizona and is 4-for-10 in his career against Milwaukee.

3. Brewers C Jonathan Lucroy has recorded multiple-hit performances in two straight games and five of his last eight.

PREDICTION: Padres 3, Brewers 2