/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/13726267/169559241.0.jpg)
W: Kevin Correia (5-4)
L: Wily Peralta (3-6)
SV: Glen Perkins (10)
HR: Mauer (4), Gomez (9,10), Segura (8)
It was as efficient a start from Wily Peralta as manager Ron Roenicke could have asked for.
Just nine pitches into his 11th start of the season, the 24-year-old right-hander produced two quick outs and worked with the bases empty. It seemed the second-year pitcher was well on his way toward giving the Brewers something they've desperately needed: An efficient, late-inning outing from one of their starters.
The likelihood of that happening diminished quickly.
After his productive start, Peralta proceeded to walk each of the next two batters in the Twins' lineup and after a single by Justin Morneau, the Brewers found themselves in an early 1-0 hole before they were able to bat.
That trend would continue as the game wore on, as Milwaukee would not play with the lead for the entirety of the game before ultimately losing by a score of 6-3. With the loss, the Brewers fell to 11 games under .500 (19-30) and with a loss tomorrow run the risk of dropping their eighth consecutive series.
Though a poor outing from Peralta, whose five walks set a career high, set the stage for what would become an uphill battle for Milwaukee's offense, the Brewers had plenty of chances to take back the lead. But as has become all too customary this season, they were unable to capitalize with the bats, going 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position Monday afternoon, leaving four base runners stranded in total.
Carlos Gomez socked two home runs for Milwaukee, giving him 10 this season and enough to give him the team lead in that category. Jean Segura followed suit with his eighth of the season. However, all three came with no runners on base, and that was enough for Minnesota to keep its lead.
"We're not getting any breaks," Roenicke said after the game, "and like I keep saying we're not playing well enough to get a lot of breaks. You get bases loaded in the first inning and Yuni hits a bullet and you end up with the double play and then you don't score at all. It's tough."
Peralta labored to spot his four-seam fastball throughout the game, throwing just 47 percent of such offerings for strikes. Of his 108 pitches, just 55 percent went for strikes. Command has always been an issue for Peralta, but a lack of confidence usually is not the case.
"He's got tremendous upside," Roenicke said, "but he's got to be confident when he's doing this. How do you get a guy confident? It comes with success. And right now, he's not that guy."
First pitch for tomorrow's series finale is scheduled for 7:10 CT.