Tampa Bay @ Milwaukee preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 21, 2011 ) Tampa Bay 1, Milwaukee 5

THE STORY: The Tampa Bay Rays’ four-game winning streak came to an end Tuesday as Milwaukee Brewers’ ace Zack Greinke returned to his dominant form. The Rays hope their ace, David Price, can do the same Wednesday. Price takes the hill looking to rebound from a rare bout of wildness against the Brewers. It won’t be easy though; the Brewers own the best home record in baseball.

TV: 2:10 pm. ET. SUN

PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Shaun Marcum (7-2, 2.85 ERA) vs. Rays LH David Price (7-6, 3.61).

Marcum is expected to make his scheduled start despite dealing with the lingering effects of a strained hip flexor he suffered in the first inning of Friday’s loss to Boston. The righthander said he still felt sore after a bullpen session on Monday, therefore the Brewers will likely monitor his pitch count. He went 0-2 with a 5.55 ERA in four starts vs. Tampa Bay last season with Toronto and is 2-2 with a 3.17 ERA overall in eight appearances against the Rays. Evan Longoria is 5-for-14 vs. Marcum.

Price has been inconsistent over the last month or so, but his control has rarely gone awry like it did Thursday against Boston. The lefthander issued a season-high five walks in five innings of a 4-2 loss. He had walked just 15 hitters in 97 1/3 innings prior to that. He is 0-1 with a 5.72 ERA over his last two starts after posting a 1.63 ERA his previous three outings. Lefties are hitting a mere.165 against Price, who has never faced the Brewers.

ABOUT THE BREWERS (41-34): The National League Central-leading Brewers won for just the third time in nine games on Tuesday. It’s no coincidence their improved play has come at Miller Park. Milwaukee is 26-10 there and the only team in baseball yet to lose consecutive games at home. Ryan Braun returned from a respiratory infection and extended his hitting streak to a season-high tying 13 games with a two-run single Tuesday. Braun is hitting .340 with two homers and 10 RBIs during the streak. Prince Fielder recorded his 63 RBI in the win. He is second to only Boston’s Adrian Gonzalez (67) in that category.

ABOUT THE RAYS (40-34): Tampa Bay had won five straight interleague games prior to Tuesday’s 5-1 loss. The Rays, who entered Monday’s opener hitting a mere .238 in June, managed just a run and four hits in seven innings against Greinke. The offensive struggles have been a theme for Tampa Bay, which ranks near the bottom of the league in batting average (.242) and has scored more than four runs just three times in the last nine games. Ben Zobrist has been an exception to the rule, hitting .333 (6-for-18) over the last five games. The main thing keeping the Rays afloat is their 3.61 team ERA, which is fifth-best in the American League.

FINAL PITCH: The Brewers are 27-14 since May 9. Only the Boston Red Sox (28-11) have a better record in that span.