Milwaukee, WI (My Sportsbook) - The Florida Marlins hope to keep pace with the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League wild card race this evening when they play the middle contest of a three-game set against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park.

In the series-opener on Friday, Juan Encarnacion hit a two-run homer and Mike Lowell knocked in a pair of runs, leading the Marlins to a 5-3 victory. Ivan Rodriguez added two runs scored for Florida, which has won three of its last four contests. The victory, along with a Philadelphia loss at San Francisco, created a first-place tie in the NL wild card race between the Marlins and Phillies.

Lowell became the Marlins' all-time leader in runs batted in when he recorded his 423rd RBI with Florida in the game.

Geoff Jenkins and John Vander Wal both homered for the Brewers, who have dropped three straight games and six of seven.

Carl Pavano (9-10) earned the victory after hurling six frames and allowing two runs on five hits with seven strikeouts. Braden Looper worked the ninth for his 23rd save of the season.

Ben Sheets (10-9) was saddled with the loss. The righthander gave up five runs on six hits through seven innings to go along with eight strikeouts and a walk.

Getting the ball for the Marlins tonight will be lefthander Mark Redman, who is 9-5 on the season with a 2.92 ERA. The 29-year-old hurler is coming off a loss in his last outing, though, as he allowed three runs and eight hits in eight innings in falling to the Houston Astons on Sunday.

Redman defeated the Brewers earlier in the year, limiting them to two runs and four hits for the complete-game victory. For his career he is 2-1 against Milwaukee with a 1.88 ERA in three starts.

The Brewers will counter with 30-year-old rookie David Manning, who will be making just the second start of his career. Against the Montreal Expos last Saturday, Manning was pounded for seven runs - six earned - and four hits in four innings. He also walked five and struck out a batter.

Florida second baseman Luis Castillo has hit safely in 11 straight games against the Brewers.

The Marlins have won six of the seven meetings this season and are 14-5 against the Brewers since the start of the 2001 season.

The Marlins have won 10 of their last 15 games on the road.