(Sports Network) - Liam Hendriks gets another shot for his first major league
win, as he takes the mound for the Twins this afternoon against the Brewers.
Hendriks, who will make his fifth start of 2012 and ninth of his career, is
coming off back-to-back losses in which he's been shelled. The 23-year-old
Australian native has been pounded for 18 hits and 13 runs over 6 1/3 innings
over defeats to the Angels and Red Sox.
Mike Fiers, who turned 27 yesterday, gets the ball for the Brewers. The righty
was touched for 10 hits and four runs over six innings in a 5-2 loss to the
Padres a week ago.
Last night, Martin Maldonado's two-run home run in the ninth inning lifted the
Brewers to a 5-3 win.
With Matt Capps (1-4) on the mound, Corey Hart doubled to start the inning,
but stayed there as the next two batters recorded outs. Maldonado, though,
crushed a 2-2 pitch deep over the wall in left-center for the lead.
John Axford, who had blown saves in outings on Wednesday and Thursday against
the Royals, set the Twins down in order in the ninth for his 11th save of the
season.
Kameron Loe (3-2) took the win for pitching 1 2/3 scoreless innings while
Yovani Gallardo gave up three runs on eight hits with two walks and seven
strikeouts over six innings in the start for the Brewers, who were coming off
a sweep at the hands of Kansas City.
"I just tried to throw my best stuff like I do every night," said Gallardo.
Ryan Braun hit a three-run home run in the win.
Trevor Plouffe continued his torrid pace in June with his eighth and ninth
home runs of the month. Brian Dozier went 3-for-4 with a run scored while
Alexi Casilla was 2-for-4 with an RBI for the Twins, who have dropped four of
their last five.
"That was a tough one to lose tonight," said Dozier. "Francisco pitched a
great game, just one bad pitch that I bet he wishes he could have back. But it
was definitely a tough loss, we were right there the whole night."
Minnesota took two of three from the Brewers earlier in the season.
The Sports Network