Diamondbacks vs. Brewers preview

Game 1: Saturday, 11 a.m., TBS

Arizona (RHP Ian Kennedy, 21-4, 2.88) at Milwaukee (RHP Yovani Gallardo, 17-10, 3.52)

Game 2: Sunday, 1:30 p.m., TBS

Arizona (RHP Daniel Hudson, 16-12, 3.49) at Milwaukee (RHP Zack Greinke, 16-6, 3.83)

Game 3: Tuesday, TBA

Milwaukee (RHP Shaun Marcum, 13-7, 3.54) at Arizona (TBA)

Game 4: Wednesday, TBA*

Milwaukee (LHP Randy Wolf, 13-10, 3.69) at Arizona (TBA)

Game 5: Friday, TBA*

Arizona (RHP Ian Kennedy, 21-4, 2.88) at Milwaukee (RHP Yovani Gallardo, 17-10, 3.52)

*-if necessary | All times PDT

Projected lineups

P / ARIZONA / Avg. / HR / RBI

SS / Willie Bloomquist / .266 / 4 / 26

2B / Aaron Hill / .246 / 8 / 61

RF / Justin Upton / .289 / 31 / 88

C / Miguel Montero / .282 / 18 / 86

1B / Paul Goldschmidt / .250 / 8 / 26

CF / Chris Young / .236 / 20 / 71

3B / Ryan Roberts / .249 / 19 / 65

LF / Gerardo Parra / .292 / 8 / 46

P / Ian Kennedy / .131 / 0 / 4

::

P / MILWAUKEE / Avg. / HR / RBI

RF / Corey Hart / .285 / 26 / 63

CF / Nyjer Morgan / .304 / 4 / 37

LF / Ryan Braun / .332 / 33 / 111

1B / Prince Fielder / .299 / 39 / 120

2B / Rickie Weeks / .269 / 20 / 49

3B / Casey McGehee / .223 / 13 / 67

SS / Yuniesky Betancourt / .252 / 13 / 68

C / Jonathan Lucroy / .265 / 12 / 59

P / Yovani Gallardo / .221 / 1 / 4

Keys to the series

The most important factor in this series could be where it’s played. When the Brewers won their final game of the regular season it gave them home-field advantage -- and considering Milwaukee was 57-24 at home but three games under .500 on the road, that truly is an advantage. But wherever they play, the Brewers mash the ball with their 185 homers and .425 slugging percentage topping the NL. Yet the Diamondbacks, who don’t have a .300 hitter, actually outscored Milwaukee this season. Arizona can’t hope to match the Brewers’ depth so they’ll will have to play mistake-free ball and rely on 21-game winner Ian Kennedy, who lost only once since July 4. Kennedy blanked the Brewers over seven innings the only time he faced them. Milwaukee has its own superman in right-hander Zack Greinke, who met his kryptonite on the road. Greinke was 11-0 with a 3.13 ERA at home and 5-6 with a 4.70 ERA on the road. To take advantage of this, he will start Game 2 on short rest at Miller Park.