Baseball is a sport riddled with cliches, but the adage that good pitching always beats good hitting is one the Brewers have learned the hard way in 2010.

For most of the season, pitching -- whether it be from the starters or the bullpen -- has been the team's Achilles' heel.

Over the last few weeks, though, things are slowly starting to turn around.

Randy Wolf's seven-inning effort Sunday gave the rotation its seventh quality start in the last nine games. He allowed just one run, giving the starters a 3.34 earned run average during the stretch. In their last three games, starters have allowed just four runs in 19 innings of work.

On the recently-completed road trip, the Brewers went 3-3 and a couple of close calls could have made that mark even better. Still, though, manager Ken Macha has started to see definite signs of a turnaround from his beleagured pitching staff.

"I think the starting pitching on this trip was pretty good," Macha told reporters Sunday in Denver. "That's something we need to build on as we go home for a pretty long homestand."

The bullpen, almost completely revamped over the last few weeks, has been strong, too. Trevor Hoffman worked a perfect eighth inning Sunday and has not given up a run in five consecutive games and in eight of his last nine. David Riske, back after missing more than a year due to "Tommy John" surgery, has been impressive, holding opponents scoreless while allowing just one hit in five innings.

John Axford has been good so far as closer, converting all four of his opportunities while holding opponents to a .220 batting average. Kameron Loe has an 0.82 ERA in eight outings and despite rough performances on Saturday, both Zack Braddock and Carlos Villanueva have had more good days than bad as of late.

Add it all together and the pitching, though still a concern (5.05 team ERA, third-worst in the National League), isn't quite as much of a liability.

"They're keeping us in games and we're winning more games," Ryan Braun told MLB.com's Adam McCalvy. "Everybody is throwing the ball great. The pitching has really come together, which is exciting to see because there's a lot of season left."

Rotation shuffled: Dave Bush will get three extra days before his next start after Macha adjusted the rotation.

Bush was scheduled to pitch Tueday aganist Minnesota but considering his 1-6 career record against the Twins -- including a horrible outing on May 21 (ERA of 7, 1/3 inning pitched) -- Macha decided to push Bush back and start him against Seattle later this week.

The move came as a surprise to Bush, who had his best outing of the season last week in Anaheim, where he held the Angels to a run on seven hits over 7 1/3 innings of work.

"It's not my choice but it's been decided," Bush told reporters in Denver.

Macha preferred that Bush face the Mariners, who are hitting just .235 against right-handers this year.

Braun still leads in All-Star race: Braun is likely to make his third straight start in the All-Star Game next month in Anaheim.

Through Sunday, Braun leads all National League outfielders with 1,816,052 votes.

No Brewers player has ever started three straight All-Star Games.

Coffey returns: The Brewers Sunday reactivated right-handed Todd Coffey from the disabled list. Coffey needed just 13 pitches to record a perfect inning Saturday in a rehab appearance with Class AAA Nashville. To make room for Coffey on the roster, the Brewers returned pitcher Chris Smith to Nashville.

Quick hits: After Monday, the Brewers will play 20 games in 20 days ... Sunday's victory snapped a five-game losing streak at Coors Field ... Brewers pinch-hitters are 24-for-84 with two home runs and eight RBI ... Radio analyst Davey Nelson, filling in for Bob Uecker, celebrated his 66th birthday on Sunday ... In interleague play, the Brewers are 43-30 against the Twins ... Jim Edmonds sat out Sunday's game with a sore shoulder ... Former Brewers shortstop J.J. Hardy, traded to Minnesota during the winter, is expected to miss the Twins' series in Milwaukee while he continues to recvover from an injured wrist ... Joe Inglett has nine pinch-hits this season ... Jonathan Lucroy has thrown out four of nine would-be base-stealers ... The Brewers have lost 24 consecutive games in which Chris Capuano has pitched, including his last 19 starts ... Corey Hart has a six-game hitting streak.

On the farm: Fourth-round pick Hunter Morris made his professional debut with Class A Wisconsin Friday ...  Mike Jones, the team's 2001 first-round draft pick, was released on Saturday ... The Brewers Rookie League teams begin play Monday in Montana and Arizona ... OF prospect Logan Schaefer's season came to an end after suffering a broken foot ... Eric Arnett, last year's first-round pick, has been reassigned to the Brewers' Rookie League squad in Arizona. Arnett went 0-7 with a 6.87 ERA in 12 starts with Class A Wisconsin ... Timber Rattlers outfielder Khris Davis hit 25 homers in three rounds to win the Midwest League Home Run Derby.

Injury report: Lefty Doug Davis allowed one run on three hits in three innings of a rehabilitation start for Class AAA Nashville Saturday. He'll start again Saturday at Memphis and is on track to rejoin the rotation later this month.

This week: Chris Narveson (5-4, 5.79) takes the mound tonight in the first of a three-game series against the Twins at Miller Park. He'll face Scott Baker (6-5, 4.41). Wednesday night, Manny Parra (1-5, 3.91) faces Francisco Liriano (6-4, 2.98) and its Yovani Gallardo (6-3, 2.59) and Nick Blackburn (6-4, 5.80) on Thursday afternoon. On Friday, Seattle comes to town for a weekend series with Dave Bush (2-5, 4.67) opening against Doug Fister (3-3, 2.45). Randy Wolf and Narveson will follow in the rotation.