With a .312 batting average, 22 home runs, 77 RBIs, 54 runs, 61 walks, a .615 slugging percentage and a .433 on-base percentage, Prince Fielder has been one of the top offensive performers in the majors during the first half of the season.

"He's been a model of consistency," manager Ken Macha said. "If you're a manager, you'd like to know every day what you're going to get. He gives you a good at-bat every time up.

"He's a threat going up there. He's had no prolonged 0-for-20s. You've got a pretty good gauge on what he's going to do every day."

Fielder received a well-deserved nod for the All-Star Game in St. Louis, but Macha hopes he takes it easy in the Home Run Derby on Monday night. Macha was at the 2005 game when Bobby Abreu won the Derby, then showed very little power for the rest of the season.

"My advice to Prince is line drives are a good thing," Macha said. "I said to Prince, 'I'm really impressed with you (batting practice). Every ball you hit is absolutely on the screws.'

"He said, 'You told me awhile ago that line drives are a good thing.' Maybe that has a bearing on how consistent he has been. He can hit some line-drive home runs (in the Derby)."

CARDINALS 5, BREWERS 1: A brilliant return to the majors by Manny Parra was ruined when the bullpen melted down and allowed five runs in the eighth inning. Banished to Class AAA Nashville a few weeks back to work on his command, Parra was strong in his first game back, pitching seven shutout innings and allowing only three hits and one walk, with seven strikeouts. But relievers Carlos Villaneuva, Mitch Stetter and Todd Coffey were roughed up for five runs in the eighth inning as the Brewers dropped two of three in the series to fall two games behind the first-place Cardinals.

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