(Sports Network) - The Toronto Blue Jays attempt to put the brakes on a three-game losing skid when they take on Ben Sheets and the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday.
Shaun Marcum gets the start for the Blue Jays, having posted three straight no-decisions despite a 1.71 ERA in that time. He last won on May 26, allowing just two runs (1 earned) over 7 1/3 innings versus Kansas City.
Marcum faced Seattle his last time out and allowed only a run over seven frames to go along with nine strikeouts in a test his club lost, 2-1.
The 26-year-old is 5-3 with a 2.43 ERA on the season and has never faced Milwaukee.
Runs may be hard to come by again tonight for Toronto because Sheets has won his last three decisions to get to 7-1 on the season with a 2.72 earned run average.
The Brewers and Blue Jays are meeting in Milwaukee for the first time since 1997, the Brew Crew's last season as an American League club. The Brewers won all five meetings at home with the Jays that year and have won the last eight matchups as the host in this series. Toronto hasn't posted a win in Milwaukee since July 14, 1996.
The Blue Jays have managed just eight runs over their road losing streak to the Brewers, while Milwaukee has plated a total of 32 after Tuesday's 7-0 victory.
Ryan Braun became the new Blue Jay killer, as he had three hits, including two homers, to go along with three runs batted in and three runs scored. Braun's first homers put him over 150 career RBI in just 182 games, the fastest to reach that mark since Walt Dropo did so with the Red Sox over 155 games from 1949-51.
Russell Branyan added a two-run homer for Milwaukee, while Prince Fielder and Craig Counsell each added solo shots. For Counsell, it was his first long ball since July 25, 2007.
As a team, Milwaukee has now hit 17 homers over its last six games.
Manny Parra (6-2) shut out Toronto over seven innings, allowing just four hits and four walks while striking out five for the Brewers, who have won two straight and four of their last six overall. The club has also won eight of its last 10 at home to boost its mark at Miller Park to 21-12.
Sheets defeated Houston on Thursday, giving up three runs on seven hits over seven innings while fanning nine. Sheets, who has a 1.96 ERA over his last five outings, hasn't lost since May 15 versus the Dodgers.
The 29-year-old faced the Blue Jays in Toronto on June 18, 2005 in his only other start against tonight's opponent. Sheets earned the win after allowing two runs -- one earned -- over eight frames.