Tampa Bay @ Milwaukee preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 20, 2011 ) Tampa Bay 8, Milwaukee 4

THE STORY: With a major league-best home record, the Milwaukee Brewers clearly know how to win at Miller Park. But the Tampa Bay Rays proved they do, too. The Rays won their Miller Park debut Monday, and they'll try to claim the three-game interleague series when it continues Tuesday night.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, Sun Sports, Fox Sports Wisconsin

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Jeremy Hellickson (7-5, 3.09 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Zack Greinke (6-2, 5.23 ERA)

The Rays have been shut out in Hellickson's last two starts, sending the 24-year-old to back-to-back losses for the first time in his brief major league career. Hellickson has posted quality starts in four of his past five outings, though, including Wednesday against Boston, when he allowed three runs over seven innings. He has never faced the Brewers.

Greinke had won six consecutive decisions before he was bombed for eight runs in 5 1/3 innings of a 12-7 loss to the Cubs on Thursday. He did match a season-high with 10 strikeouts, though, and has nine or more strikeouts in five of nine starts this season. In 11 appearances (eight starts) against the Rays, Greinke is 1-4 with a 3.58 ERA.

ABOUT THE RAYS (40-33): The Rays have been better on the road than at Tropicana Field, and they looked right at home Monday in Milwaukee, winning for the 10th time in 14 games. Evan Longoria snapped out of a 2-for-24 slump with two hits, including a three-run home run. The Rays have won four straight to keep pace with the Red Sox and Yankees in the American League East, but they remain 4 1/2 games behind Boston.

ABOUT THE BREWERS (40-34): Milwaukee fell a half-game behind St. Louis in the National League Central after losing for the sixth time in eight games. Prince Fielder continues to produce, though, adding to his National League lead with his 62nd RBI on Monday. After hitting five home runs in May, catcher Jonathan Lucroy had not hit one since May 31 until his shot leading off the seventh Monday.

FINAL PITCH: Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun, who is riding a 12-game hitting streak, sat out Monday with a respiratory infection. He had appeared in all 73 of Milwaukee's previous games.