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WP: Samuel Deduno (2-3)
LP: Yovani Gallardo (3-4)
SV: Glen Perkins (15)
HR: Josh Willingham (4), Brian Dozier (12)
Yovani Gallardo struggled mightily Tuesday night with his worst start of the season giving up six runs in just five innings. The Brewers were simply unable to recover and fell 6-4 to the Twins to split their two-game home series in Milwaukee.
Though the Twins ended up scoring more, the Brewers were able to get on the board first in the bottom of the first inning. After leadoff singles from Jean Segura and Scooter Gennett, Ryan Braun grounded out to second base to score Segura from third for the game's first run.
The Twins tied up the score in the next half inning after some sloppy play from the Brewers. Trevor Plouffe singled with one out in the inning, but advanced to third on a wild pitch and a missed pickoff attempt to Gennett. With Plouffe on third, Josmil Pinto singled to left field to tie the game.
Gallardo was able to get the first out in the third, but then things got ugly. Brian Dozier and Joe Mauer singled before Josh Willingham sent both runners home with a home run to left center field to give the Twins a three run lead. Gallardo missed badly as he left a slider that was supposed to be low and away up in the zone and Willingham just crushed it.
Brewer hitters tried to keep it close as they loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth on a Khris Davis single and walks from Mark Reynolds and Lyle Overbay, but couldn't generate more than a single run. After a Martin Maldonado single scored Davis from third, Yovani Gallardo grounded into a double play to end the inning.
After struggling to bring it closer with his bat, Gallardo made it even worse on the mound as he gave up two more runs in the top of the fifth inning. Brian Dozier homered after a leadoff single from Danny Santana to give the Twins their sixth run of the night. Gallardo struggled tonight and, as multiple people pointed out on Twitter, his struggles might be a little worrisome now as Gallardo has posted an ERA over six in his last six starts. Gallardo just wasn't able to locate pitches tonight and found himself in trouble again and again.
In the eighth inning, the Brewers were able to put a run on the board after nearly wasting a leadoff double from Carlos Gomez. After Davis and Reynolds were unable to score Gomez, Overbay stepped to the plate and singled to right center field to bring the Brewers within three runs and force the Twins to go to closer Glen Perkins in the ninth.
Perkins struggled mightily to start the inning as he walked Rickie Weeks and Segura on only nine pitches. Jonathan Lucroy pinch hit for Scooter Gennett and weakly grounded out to the right side to move the runners up to second and third for Braun. Braun drove the ball to right field, but not quite hard enough for a home run as he brought home Weeks on a sacrifice fly to bring the Brewers within two. With a chance to tie the game, Gomez struck out and Perkins recorded his fifteenth save of the season.
Though they only posted three runs, the Brewers didn't really struggle to put runners on base as they recorded eight hits and eight walks. Unfortunately, they accompanied those hits and walks with three double plays, including the aforementioned Gallardo double play with the bases loaded.
The Brewers will be back in action against the Twins tomorrow night, but this time they'll be at Target Field as the two teams travel to Minnesota for the next two games. Marco Estrada will take the mound for the Brewers as the Brewers look to take the first game in Minnesota. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m.