(My Sportsbook) - Lefty Manny Parra tries to shake off a difficult first start of 2009 when he and the Milwaukee Brewers host the Cincinnati Reds tonight in the middle test of a three-game series at Miller Park.

A 26-year-old product of Carmichael, California, Parra opened the season on Thursday with a 7-1 loss at San Francisco in which he was raked for six hits and five runs in 4 1/3 innings.

He threw 85 pitches overall, walking three and striking out two.

Now in his second full-time season, Parra actually reached the majors in 2007 and appeared in nine games - starting twice - while going 0-1 with a hold and a 3.76 earned run average in 26 1/3 innings.

He made the transition to starting last season and won 10 games while tossing 166 innings and posting a 4.39 ERA in 32 appearances (29 starts), with 147 strikeouts and 75 walks.

Parra appeared three times against the Reds last season, going 0-1 with an 8.27 ERA after allowing 17 hits and 15 earned runs in 16 1/3 innings.

For Cincinnati, veteran right-hander Bronson Arroyo makes his second start of the season and will seek his second win.

The 32-year-old native of Key West, Florida went six grinding innings against the New York Mets Thursday in Cincinnati, battling for the win in spite of allowing eight hits and five runs. The Reds won the game, 8-6.

A 15-game loser in 2007, Arroyo bounced back to win 15 games last season, going 15-11 in 34 starts with a 4.77 ERA in exactly 200 innings.

He started four times against the Brewers in 2008, going 1-2 with a 3.65 ERA in 24 2/3 innings.

In Monday's series opener, Edwin Encarnacion hit his third career grand slam as the Reds edged the Brewers, 7-6.

Jay Bruce hit a solo homer and drove in two runs for the Reds, who won their second in a row in the opener of a 10-game road trip. Joey Votto had an RBI in the win.

Edinson Volquez (1-1) got the win despite allowing all six Milwaukee runs on seven hits in five innings. He gave up four walks and struck out four.

Jared Burton, Arthur Rhodes and David Weathers each tossed a scoreless inning in relief for the Reds, while Francisco Cordero worked around a walk in the ninth to record his second save of the season.

Yovani Gallardo (1-1) took the loss for Milwaukee after allowing seven runs in five innings. He gave up only three hits, one of which was Encarnacion's slam, and walked four with three strikeouts.

Corey Hart went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer for the Brewers, who have lost three in a row. J.J. Hardy also homered in the loss.

The Reds took 10 of 18 matchups with Milwaukee last season, including six of the nine games played at Miller Park.