Twins take it out on Brewers
MILWAUKEE — Kevin Slowey pitched eight effective innings and hit a two-run single for his first career RBIs, leading the Minnesota Twins over the Milwaukee Brewers 10-2 on Friday night. Justin Morneau and Alexi Casilla had three RBIs apiece for the Twins, who are trying to salvage the final series of a miserable road trip. Minnesota began the swing 1-6 and had given up 10 runs or more in four of the first seven games. Slowey (3-6) allowed two runs and five hits, looking little like the pitcher who'd been shelled for 12 runs in nine innings in his previous two starts. Ryan Braun and Mike Cameron had seventh-inning sacrifice flies for the Brewers, who had won six straight at home. Slowey faced just one over the minimum through six on 68 pitches. He finished with five strikeouts and no walks. Slowey showed he could swing the bat, too, picking up his first career hit in the sixth and driving in a pair of runs in Minnesota's five-run seventh. His big at-bat in the seventh came after second baseman Bill Hall, starting in place of the injured Rickie Weeks, committed his second error of the night to put runners on first and second with one out. Tim Dillard got Brendan Harris to ground out and intentionally walked Mike Lamb to get to Slowey, who singled to left to make it 6-0. Carlos Gomez reached on an infield single and Casilla followed with a three-run double to right. Jason Kubel added a solo homer in the eighth for Minnesota, which finished with six unearned runs. The Twins took advantage of Milwaukee's makeshift defense in the first and fifth innings, too. Gomez led off the fifth with a bunt that starter Dave Bush (2-7) fielded but had nowhere to throw after first baseman Prince Fielder charged the play and Hall failed to back him up. After Casilla added another bunt single and Joe Mauer hit into a fielder's choice, Morneau had a two-run triple and Delmon Young an RBI single to give Minnesota a 4-0 lead. Bush went six innings and was charged with four runs, three earned, and 10 hits.