Tonight's Matchup: Brewers (Lohse) v Marlins (Turner)

And finally, we're (almost) back to baseball.

By the time this post publishes the Brewers will be slightly more than two hours away from sending Kyle Lohse (3.67 ERA, 4.46 FIP) to the mound to open the second segment of the 2013 season. Lohse is pitching on one day of extra rest after facing the Diamondbacks on Saturday and allowing five runs on four hits over 6.1 innings.

With the exception of a single rain-shortened start in June, Lohse has pitched six innings or more in each of his last nine appearances. He's done that, somehow, without ever throwing more than 103 pitches in a game. The only real chink in his armor over that period of time has been the long ball: He's allowing almost one and a half homers per nine innings since June 1.

Lohse has faced the Marlins nine times in his career, including three times in 2012 when he posted a 2.08 ERA against them over 21.2 innings. Five current Marlins have faced him ten times or more:

He'll face 22-year-old righty Jacob Turner (2.33 ERA, 2.89 FIP) in his ninth start of the season. Turner is pitching on eight days of rest after beating the Braves on July 10 when he allowed two runs on four hits over seven innings. He's thrown six innings or more in seven of his eight previous appearances this season.

Turner pitches his home games in a very pitcher-friendly park in Miami, but it's still worth noting that he's given up just one home run over 54 innings this season. That's a rate he's not likely to maintain for the rest of the season, but it's still impressive. He throws a low-to-mid 90's fastball, curve and slider.

Turner received a no-decision in his start against the Brewers on June 11, pitching seven innings and allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits with two walks and six strikeouts. No current Brewers have faced him ten times or more.

Tonight's lineup is as follows:

Norichika Aoki RF
Jean Segura SS
Ryan Braun LF
Jonathan Lucroy C
Carlos Gomez CF
Juan Francisco 1B
Rickie Weeks 2B
Jeff Bianchi 3B
Kyle Lohse P

Everyone in the bullpen is, of course, well rested:

• Francisco Rodriguez, Jim Henderson and Michael Gonzalez last pitched on Sunday.
• John Axford last pitched on Saturday.
• Brandon Kintzler last pitched on Friday, July 12.
• Burke Badenhop last pitched on Wednesday, July 10.
• Tyler Thornburg is sitting on 13 days of rest and counting.

It was hot in Milwaukee today, and the forecast calls for a chance of thunderstorms tonight. There's a strong chance the roof will be both open and closed at various times this evening.