MINNEAPOLIS - With a 14-6 record at Target Field, the Minnesota Twins are enjoying their time at the new open-air ballpark.
They refused to leave without a win on Saturday, too, after frittering away a four-run lead in the ninth inning and emerging with a 4-hour, 45-minute victory.
Jason Kubel's bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the 12th allowed the Twins to outlast the freefalling Brewers 8-7, while forcing Milwaukee manager Ken Macha to summon today's scheduled starter from his beleaguered bullpen.
"Just keep getting guys on base, and it'll work out," Kubel said.
Jesse Crain (1-0) picked up the victory for the Twins despite starting the 12th with a five-pitch walk to Prince Fielder, his fourth of the game.
ADVERTISEMENT
"We just can't seem to get over the hump," Macha said, praising his team's effort.
With struggling closer Trevor Hoffman on hiatus while he works on his mechanics, Carlos Villanueva lost the lead in the bottom of the ninth after the Brewers suddenly snapped to life with five runs in the top of the inning to go ahead 7-6. With Hoffman unavailable, Macha went to today's scheduled starter Manny Parra (0-3) for the 11th.
As if Brewers fans needed more proof of their team's pitching woes, Macha is currently carrying a 13-man staff - and he still had to go to the next day's starter. Marco Estrada, who threw 21 pitches in the seventh, will take the mound today instead.
Justin Morneau's RBI single off Yovani Gallardo set the stage for another big first inning for the Twins.
Parra issued a leadoff walk to Alexi Casilla to start the 12th, Joe Mauer followed with a single and AL batting leader Morneau - who had three hits to raise his May average to .408 - walked to load the bases.
One out later, Kubel sent a fly to right fielder Corey Hart, whose throw was off line and not close while Mauer streaked home.
Villanueva, who picked up the save on Thursday, the Brewers' only win in the last 12 games, needed 44 pitches to get through two innings - but escaped the 9th and 10th by leaving the bases loaded both times. The Twins stranded a runner on third base five times in the first 10 innings.
Instead of using Jon Rauch to start the ninth inning in a non-save situation, manager Ron Gardenhire called for left-hander Ron Mahay with two lefties due up and a 6-2 lead.
ADVERTISEMENT
Two singles and a walk later, the "Let's go Brewers!" chants came calling out from the Wisconsinites and transplants in the crowd and Rauch came in for a bases-loaded, none-out predicament.
Rickie Weeks hit a two-run double, and Carlos Gomez tied it with his sharp single down the left-field line. That was Rauch's second blown save in 12 attempts.
"I think we should be able to get through that," Gardenhire said, defending his decision. "Mahay just didn't get it done."
Milwaukee Minnesota
ab r h bi ab r h bi
Weeks 2b 5 1 1 2 Span cf 7 0 0 0
Gomez cf 6 0 2 2 OHudsn 2b 4 2 2 0
Braun dh 6 0 0 0 ACasill 2b 0 0 0 0
ADVERTISEMENT
Fielder 1b 2 1 0 0 Mauer c 7 3 4 1
McGeh 3b 6 0 2 1 Mornea 1b 5 2 3 1
Hart rf 6 1 2 1 Cuddyr rf 6 1 3 1
Inglett lf 2 1 1 0 Kubel dh 3 0 0 1
Gerut lf 4 1 1 0 DlmYn lf 5 0 1 3
AEscor ss 5 1 3 0 Plouffe ss 3 0 0 1
Kottars c 3 1 1 1 Thome ph 0 0 0 0
Harrs pr-ss 1 0 0 0
ADVERTISEMENT
Punto 3b 5 0 0 0
Totals 45 7 13 7 Totals 46 8 13 8
Milwaukee 000 011 005 000-7
Minnesota 400 000 201 001-8
Two outs when winning run scored.
E-Gomez (2). DP-Milwaukee 1, Minnesota 4. LOB-Milwaukee 9, Minnesota 17. 2B-Weeks (8), McGehee 2 (12), Inglett (4), Mauer (12), Morneau 2 (13), Cuddyer (8), Delm.Young (10). HR-Hart (8). SB-O.Hudson (4). SF-Kubel, Plouffe.
IP H R ER BB SO
Milwaukee
ADVERTISEMENT
Gallardo 6 6 4 4 3 5
Estrada Zc 2 2 2 1 0
Stetter 0 0 0 0 1 0
Coffey Xc 0 0 0 0 1
Axford 1 0 0 0 1 2
Villanueva BS,1-2 2 4 1 1 2 2
M.Parra L,0-3 1Xc 1 1 1 2 0
Minnesota
ADVERTISEMENT
Slowey 5Xc 6 2 2 1 5
Duensing H,8 Zc 1 0 0 1 0
Guerrier H,8 2 0 0 0 1 2
Mahay 0 2 3 3 1 0
Rauch BS,2-12 1 3 2 2 1 1
Al.Burnett 2 1 0 0 0 0
Crain W,1-0 1 0 0 0 1 1
Duensing pitched to 2 batters in the 7th.
Mahay pitched to 3 batters in the 9th.
Stetter pitched to 1 batter in the 7th.
HBP-by Villanueva (Kubel), by Gallardo (Cuddyer), by Al.Burnett (Weeks).
T-4:45. A-39,152 (39,504).
