Acquired in September in the deal that sent Adam Dunn to Arizona, Owings (6-9, 5.93 ERA) did not pitch for the Reds last season as he dealt with a strained shoulder. But he made an immediate impact with his bat the day after the trade, doubling home the go-ahead run in the 10th inning in his first at-bat in a Cincinnati uniform to lift the Reds to a 3-2 road victory over the Diamondbacks on Sept. 13.

"My whole life I've been treated as a pitcher and then a hitter," he told the Reds' official Web site. "So I kind of think that since I've made it to the big leagues, it's kind of been the opposite. I consider it as a compliment and respectful.

"By no means do I take it as a knock on my pitching. But that's what I'm here to do and that's what my focus is going to be. Hitting is just a plus."

Owings, a career .322 hitter with five home runs and 21 RBIs, is 1-for-2 with a double in two pinch-hit opportunities in 2009.

On Wednesday, he will make his first start against the Brewers since giving up five runs and eight hits over three innings in Arizona's 10-1 loss on June 4. Owings, though, is looking for a repeat of a strong start in 2008 when he opened the season 4-0 with a 2.42 ERA.

But Owings is 0-2 with an 8.00 ERA lifetime in two career starts versus the Brewers - both in Milwaukee. A solid start could help propel Cincinnati (4-3) to its first series sweep in Milwaukee since July 11-13, 2003.

The Brewers (2-6), meanwhile, send newcomer Braden Looper (0-0, 1.80) to the mound for the first time since the opener of the six-game homestand. Looper went five innings and allowed a run and five hits with four walks as Milwaukee defeated the Chicago Cubs 4-3 on Friday.

"I just told myself to back off, and almost throw it as soft as I can," said Looper, limited in spring training due to a tight left oblique muscle.

Playing for St. Louis, the veteran right-hander went 2-1 with a 3.10 ERA in four starts against the Reds last season.

Milwaukee will look to break out of its early-season hitting slump. The Brewers are batting .217 after being held to five hits in Tuesday's 6-1 loss.

"Bats were pretty silent today," Milwaukee first-year manager Ken Macha said after his team dropped its fourth in a row.

Prince Fielder went 0-for-4, dropping his average to .179, while Ryan Braun had one hit in four at-bats. He's batting .200 with two RBIs.

"I think those two guys in particular are trying a little too hard," Macha said.

Fielder is 2-for-5 with two RBIs lifetime against Owings, and Braun has a home run and three RBIs when facing him.

First baseman Joey Votto drove in two runs and went 2-for-5 to improve his average to .393. He leads the Reds with two homers and 10 RBIs.

Cincinnati last three-game series sweep on the road was July 16-18, 2007, at Atlanta.