(Sports Network) - Two prime contenders in the National League playoff race begin an important four-game series tonight at St. Louis' Busch Stadium, where the red-hot Cardinals put a five-game win streak on the line against a Milwaukee Brewers squad thats on a roll of its own right now.

The Cardinals currently occupy the top spot in the NL Wild Card standings with a 57-43 record, but the division-rival Brewers are lurking just a game back and enter this key set having won four straight contests. Both teams are also right in the thick of the mix for first place in the NL Central, with St. Louis currently two games behind front-running Chicago and Milwaukee only three in back of the Cubs.

St. Louis got its post All-Star break schedule off to a terrific start, as the club won all four matchups with the lowly San Diego Padres over the weekend. Aaron Miles capped off the sweep by slugging a tie-breaking grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning that lifted the Cards to a wild 9-5 victory in Sunday's finale.

Albert Pujols drew a one-out walk against Padres reliever Bryan Corey in the bottom of the ninth, then raced all the way to third on an errant pickoff attempt before both Yadier Molina and Skip Schumaker were intentionally walked to load the bases. Miles then belted a 2-1 offering from Corey into the right- field bullpen to give St. Louis the dramatic win.

Troy Glaus had provided the Cardinals with a 5-3 lead by blasting a go-ahead three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning, but the Padres scored twice in the top of the ninth off relievers Jason Isringhausen and Brad Thompson to pull even. Thompson (2-2) was credited with the win despite giving up Kevin Kouzmanoffs game-tying double with one out in the final frame.

Jaime Garcia made his first major league start for St. Louis and allowed three runs and five hits over the first five innings.

The Brewers come in off a three-game road sweep of San Francisco that was completed with Sunday's 7-4 triumph. Manny Parra delivered 7 2/3 strong innings on the mound and Ryan Braun finished 2-for-5 with a homer and five RBI to led the way for Milwaukee.

Parra (9-2) took a shutout into the eighth inning before surrendering a two- run double to Aaron Rowand, and racked up a career-best nine strikeouts to record his eighth straight winning decision. The left-hander also helped his cause with an RBI single in the top of the second.

Braun broke open a close game by smacking a three-run homer off fellow NL All- Star Tim Lincecum in the top of the seventh, staking the Brewers to a 5-0 lead. The young slugger added a two-run double in the ninth during his final at-bat.

Milwaukee made some news following yesterday's game as well, acquiring veteran second baseman Ray Durham from the Giants in exchange for a pair of minor leaguers. The 36-year-old switch hitter, who is batting .293 with a .385 on- base percentage this season, is expected to join the Brewers for tonights tilt.

If Durham is in the lineup this evening, he'll be taking his swings against Joel Pineiro. The St. Louis hurler will be attempting to rebound from a rough showing in his final start prior to the break, which came at Pittsburgh on July 13.

Pineiro failed to protect an early three-run lead against the Pirates and wound up with a no-decision in an 11-6 Cardinals' win. The right-hander lasted 5 2/3 innings and was touched for six runs on 10 hits.

He was much sharper in his previous start, a 2-0 victory at Philadelphia on July 8 in which Pineiro held the Phillies to five hits over 6 1/3 innings.

Pineiro is 1-0 with a 2.70 earned run average in two career starts against Milwaukee. The 29-year-old faced the Brewers at Miller Park on May 10 and yielded just two runs and four hits in 6 1/3 innings, although he wound up with a no-decision.

Seth McClung gets the nod for Milwaukee tonight and hopes to end a personal two-start losing streak. The righty did pitch well in his latest defeat, an 8-2 setback to Cincinnati on July 12, with McClung allowing three runs and just three hits while striking out a season-high seven over 6 1/3 innings.

The West Virginia native is sharing the fifth starter's spot with Dave Bush and drew tonights assignment due to a respectable 3.28 ERA in 11 appearances (4 starts) on the road this season. Brewers manager Ned Yost has said that Bush, who is 1-6 with a 6.95 ERA in away games, will start primarily when the team is at home.

McClung has faced the Cardinals four times previously -- all in relief -- and owns a 1-0 record with a 1.69 ERA in 5 1/3 total innings against tonight's opponent. The 27-year-old threw four scoreless frames over two relief stints versus St. Louis earlier this year.

Milwaukee holds a 5-4 edge in the 2008 season series with St. Louis, but the Cardinals took two of three tests when the Brewers visited Busch Stadium in April.