Twins at Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers will try to salvage the finale of a four-game, home-and-home interleague series when they host the Minnesota Twins on Thursday. After falling twice in Minnesota by a combined score of 16-8, the Brewers managed five hits - all singles - in a 4-0 setback at home on Wednesday.
Milwaukee's four-game losing streak has put the club just two games over .500 (59-57) for the first time since it was 41-39 near the end of June, and it remains 1 1/2 games behind the first-place Chicago Cubs in the National League Central. Meanwhile, the Twins have won four in a row to get back to .500 and within 1 1/2 games of the second wild-card spot in the American League. Brian Dozier has recorded six hits - two homers - and five RBIs in his last two games and five home runs over a span of six contests. Milwaukee's Zach Davies will try to pick up his 14th win when he takes the mound in the finale against Minnesota's Kyle Gibson.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Kyle Gibson (6-9, 6.03 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Zach Davies (13-5, 4.18)
Gibson returned from a brief stint in the minors to allow three runs over 5 1/3 innings in a loss to Texas on Saturday. He has completed at least six frames in six of his last 10 starts after failing to do so in each of his first nine outings this year. The former first-round draft pick out of the University of Missouri is 1-1 with a 5.03 ERA in three career meetings with Milwaukee.
Davies has yielded three earned runs and 19 hits in 28 2/3 innings over a dominant four-game stretch, which includes seven scoreless frames in a win at Tampa Bay on Saturday. Much of his recent success has come on the road, as the 24-year-old has posted a 7.33 ERA in his last four turns at Miller Park. Davies, who never has faced the Twins, is 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA in three career interleague starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. Milwaukee 3B Travis Shaw missed Wednesday's game due to a family matter and is considered day-to-day.
2. Brewers LF Ryan Braun is 10-for-17 during his team's losing streak.
3. Dozier is batting .386 with four home runs in 13 career games at Miller Park.