PHILADELPHIA (AP) -Dale Sveum and the Milwaukee Brewers are hoping this trip to Philly works out better than their last time in the city.
Milwaukee was swept by the Phillies in a four-game series at Citizens Bank Park last month and manager Ned Yost was fired the next day. Two weeks later, the wild-card winners are back and Sveum is filling out the lineup card.
"We learned yet again we were able to deal with adversity," left fielder Ryan Braun said. "The end of that series was about as low as we got as a team."
The Phillies trailed the Brewers by four games in the wild-card standings, and capped the surprising series with a day-night doubleheader sweep. Yost was fired Sept. 15 and Sveum took over for his friend.
"It wasn't a very pleasant experience, but obviously my life changed the next morning," Sveum said. "It's definitely been a whirlwind."
After a 1-4 start under Sveum, the Brewers finished 6-1 and clinched their first postseason berth since 1982 with a win in the last game of the season.
"I have a lot of responsibilities now, not just sending guys home and stopping guys and positioning infielders," Sveum said. "But it's something I've prepared for since I got done playing."
Phillies manager Charlie Manuel doesn't expect this series to be won as easily as their last matchup.
"I think at that time they weren't hitting the ball real good. They were having problems," Manuel said. "At the same time, I look at how we pitched and we did a good job."
While the Phillies are 5-1 against the Brewers this season, they haven't faced Game 1 starter Yovani Gallardo or Game 2 starter CC Sabathia this year.
"He's a good pitcher," Manuel said of Sabathia, "but I feel like we still have a chance to score some runs on him."
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CRAWFORD READY?: Barring a setback, Rays left fielder Carl Crawford likely will return to the lineup on Thursday in the division series against the White Sox after missing most of the past seven weeks with a finger injury that required surgery.
