Diamondbacks turn to Hellickson against Brewers

(SportsNetwork.com) - It's been more than a month since Jeremy Hellickson has lost a decision. The right-hander tries to extend Milwaukee's misery when the Arizona Diamondbacks take on the Brewers Saturday afternoon.

Hellickson is 1-0 over his last five starts and hasn't suffered a defeat since April 26 against Pittsburgh. He allowed three runs in 6 2/3 innings of a 4-3 victory over the Cubs on Sunday. Hellickson lost his only start against the Brewers on June 21, 2011 at Miller Park.

The Brewers have lost six in a row, two shy of their season-high streak set April 15-22. It'll be up to Kyle Lohse to provide Craig Counsell enough pitching support to hold down the Diamondbacks. Lohse yielded five runs in an 8-4 loss to the Giants on Monday. He's 4-3 with a 4.46 ERA in 13 career starts against the Diamondbacks.

On Friday in the opener of this three-game series, Nick Ahmed and A.J. Pollock both homered to help the Diamondbacks to a 7-5 win. Ahmed clubbed a two-out homer off Jonathan Broxton into the bullpen in left center to give the D-backs the lead in the eighth.

Pollock added to the margin with a two-run shot in the ninth for Arizona, which stopped its three-game losing streak. The D-backs have homered in seven straight games for the first time since Aug. 6-13, 2013.

Addison Reed (2-2) earned the win for 1 2/3 innings in relief and Brad Ziegler converted his third save of the season despite giving up a run in the ninth.

"I have to say I actually called that home run," D-backs manager Chip Hale said. "I told Reed to be ready because Nick's going to hit a home run. For once in my life I called one right."

Broxton (1-2) suffered the loss in relief of Brewers starter Jimmy Nelson, who struck out eight batters and allowed four runs over six innings.

"He made some mistakes tonight, but he got through that sixth inning," Counsell said of Nelson. "It was a night where he got through it."

Since April 5, 2013, Arizona has gone 10-5 versus the Brewers.