:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/33838499/20140602_ajl_bs5_111.JPG.0.jpg)
Win: Matt Garza (3-4)
Loss: Kyle Gibson (4-5)
HR: Mark Reynolds (13), Jonathan Lucroy (3)
Brewers' starting pitcher Matt Garza has not had the easiest time of it this season. After an incredible two-hit performance against the Braves to open his season, he has struggled to have any truly great outings. Though he has five quality starts in ten starts since that first game, he has allowed fewer than three earned runs just once.
Today, Garza finally broke back through with a phenomenal, if a little bit too short, start against the Twins. He pitched into the seventh inning, keeping Minnesota scoreless while allowing six hits and two walks with eight strikeouts. The only problems today was his tendency to nibble at the corners a bit much with a tight zone tonight, leading to him tossing 111 pitches in just 6.1 frames.
The Twins did manage a pair of runs against the Brewers' oft-dominant bullpen. Though Will Smith and Zach Duke combined for a clean inning, Rob Wooten and Brandon Kintzler give more reason for them to be sent down when Tom Gorzelanny and Jim Henderson return. Both pitchers allowed a run on three hits; Kintzler over 0.2 innings and Wooten over one.
Fortunately, the Brewers offense gave Twins starter Kyle Gibson and the Minnesota bullpen all they could handle. Gibson didn't allow a hit until the fourth inning, but gave up a pair of runs during that frame. Jean Segura led off with a single and advanced to second on a groundout. A Jonathan Lucroy single brought him home. Center fielder Danny Santana unwisely threw home on the play, allowing Lucroy to take second. That set him up to score when Carlos Gomez singled.
The Brewers scored another couple of runs in the fifth when Mark Reynolds launched a two-run homer into right field, scoring Scooter Gennett in the process. Khris Davis scored on a throwing error in the seventh and Lucroy hit a solo homer in the eighth to give the Brewers a little bit of insurance.
Lucroy was certainly the star of the game offensively for the Brewers, going 3-4 with two runs and two RBI. Davis also picked up a couple of hits while Reynolds drew the team's only walk to go along with his homer.
The Brewers and Twins will play the second of four straight games tomorrow. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 CT.
