Lefty Parra takes ball for Brewers vs. Reds

CC Sabathia is the left-handed pitcher the Milwaukee Brewers are counting on to break a long postseason drought, but fellow southpaw Manny Parra has made quite a contribution to his team's playoff push. Parra puts an unbeaten streak of more than two months on the line when he toes the rubber for the Brewers in tonight's opener of a three-game series with the Cincinnati Reds from Miller Park. The 25-year-old Parra has certainly impressed in his first full major-league season, as evidenced by the 8-2 record and 3.65 earned run average he brings into this evening's tilt. The native Californian has also won seven consecutive decisions since a May 3 setback at Houston, spanning 11 starts and one relief appearance. Parra has not yielded a run in either of his last two starts, a six-inning no- decision at Arizona on July 3 and a... [read full story]