Mets at Brewers
THE STORY: The Miller Park magic saved the Milwaukee Brewers again, and now the Brewers are in position to win a sixth consecutive home series when their three-game set with the New York Mets wraps up Thursday. Milwaukee rallied from a four-run deficit for a 7-6 win Wednesday to even the series at a game apiece. Milwaukee has won 12 of 14 at Miller Park to improve its major league-best home record to 22-8. The Brewers have won five of six overall, and four of the wins have been by one run.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, SportsNet New York, Fox Sports Wisconsin
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets LH Jon Niese (4-5, 3.75 ERA) vs. Brewres RH Yovani Gallardo (8-2, 3.72 ERA)
Niese has rebounded from a poor start to the season by winning three of his last four decisions, and he has been especially effective in his last four starts, posting a 1.38 ERA. The Brewers have hit Niese hard in two meetings — he does not have a decision, but has a 17.47 ERA in 5 2/3 innings against them.
Gallardo has won six consecutive starts and has a 1.32 ERA during that span. Most recently, he held the Marlins to two runs (one earned) over six innings in a 3-2 win Saturday. In four starts against the Mets, Gallardo is 1-1 with a 2.84 ERA.
ABOUT THE METS (29-32): The Mets had a modest three-game winning streak snapped Wednesday, as the bullpen couldn't hold a 6-2 lead going to the eighth. It was their sixth loss when entering the eighth inning with the lead. Jose Reyes extended his hitting streak to 12 games Wednesday, going 2-for-4 for his major league-best 30th multi-hit game of the season.
ABOUT THE BREWERS (35-27): The Brewers' 71 home runs rank second in the National League, and Prince Fielder has led the way, especially in the past week. Fielder hit two more home runs Wednesday to give him 17, tying him for the NL lead with Cincinnati's Jay Bruce and Los Angeles' Matt Kemp, and he has hit six in the past six games. Milwaukee has at least one home run in 13 of its past 14 games. And now the Brewers hope to get Casey McGehee going again after he snapped an 0-for-27 slump with a single Wednesday.
FINAL PITCH: Gallardo is the first Brewers righthander to win six consecutive starts since Cal Eldred during the 1992 season.