(Sports Network) - It's too bad CC Sabathia can't pitch every night for the struggling Milwaukee Brewers, who are 8-1 with the big lefty on the hill.

Manny Parra will try to begin a streak of his own when he handles pitching duties for the Brewers in tonight's finale of a three-game series versus the Houston Astros at Miller Park.

Parra is winless (0-4) over his last five trips to the hill and has allowed three runs or more in four of those outings. He recently lost at Los Angeles on Friday after allowing four runs and 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings of work, falling to 9-6 with a 4.12 ERA in 25 games (24 starts) this season.

The lefty, who is a solid 5-2 at home in 2008, is sporting a 2-2 record and a 5.91 ERA in four engagements with the Astros this season. In a July 25 matchup against Houston, Parra yielded three runs in six innings of a 3-1 loss.

Milwaukee is currently 2 1/2 games ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Wild Card standings, but has dropped four of six contests since an eight-game winning streak. In Tuesday's 5-2 loss to the Astros, starter Ben Sheets continued his rough stretch after giving up all five runs on five hits in six innings to absorb the loss. He dropped his second consecutive start and has lost in four of his past five trips to the mound.

Jason Kendall had three hits, while Mike Cameron and J.J. Hardy each drove in a run in a losing cause. Milwaukee is 1-1 on a six-game homestand and 37-24 at Miller Park this season.

The Astros have won two of three and 10 of their last 13 games, but sit 7 1/2 games off the pace in the Wild Card race. Geoff Blum provided the Houston fireworks with a three-run homer in the sixth inning, while Michael Bourn finished with a triple and two RBI in the win.

Brian Moehler started for Houston and recorded the win after limiting Milwaukee to a pair of runs -- one earned -- on nine hits in 5 1/3 innings of work. He also walked one and struck out four batters.

Houston is 1-1 on a seven-game road swing and 30-34 away from Minute Maid Park this season.

Wandy Rodriguez gets the nod for the Astros on Wednesday and has dropped two of his last four starts. Rodriguez was last on the hill Friday versus Arizona and was rocked for four runs and three hits in just 2 1/3 innings.

Rodriguez fell to 7-5 with a 4.15 earned run average in 19 starts this season after his miserable performance versus the D'Backs.

The left-hander will square off with Milwaukee again this season after defeating the Brewers on July 25 at Miller Park. Rodriguez limited the Brewers to just one run and three hits in six frames of a 3-1 win.

He is 3-4 with a 4.66 ERA in 11 career games (10 starts) against Milwaukee.

The 2008 season series between Milwaukee and Houston is tied at seven games apiece.