Brewers 10, Twins 5
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Milwaukee Brewers scored twice in the eighth inning and three more times in the ninth in a 10-5 win over the Minnesota Twins at Target Field on Friday.
Milwaukee blew an early 5-0 lead when the Twins scored five times in the fifth inning but posted a late-inning rally on back-to-back doubles by center fielder Carlos Gomez and designated hitter Adam Lind. Lind's line drive looked catchable off the bat, but Twins right fielder Torii Hunter took a bad angle and the ball sailed over his head, driving in Gomez.
The Brewers took advantage of another misplay in the very next at-bat when catcher Jonathan Lucroy popped it up in front of the pitcher's mound. No Twins player called for it, and the ball dropped as Lind raced around third to make it 7-5.
Milwaukee got leadoff singles in the ninth and eventually loaded the bases after an intentional walk. Right fielder Gerardo Parra was hit by a pitch and two batters later, Lind singled to left, driving in two more.
Lind finished the game a triple short of the cycle, going 3-for-5 with six RBIs.
Brewers right-hander Jeremy Jeffress earned the win, pitching two innings in relief of starter Kyle Lohse. Jeffress allowed two hits and a walk and struck out two.
Lohse cruised through four innings before running into trouble in the fifth, exiting after six innings having allowed five runs on eight hits.
Twins reliever Blaine Boyer (1-2) took the loss, allowing a run on one hit in two-thirds of an inning.
Minnesota right-hander Kyle Gibson did not figure into the decision, allowing five runs on six hits in seven innings of work. He retired the final 13 men he faced and struck out a career high nine batters.
Milwaukee used the long ball to build an early lead against Gibson.
First, it was shortstop Jean Segura, who hit a homer on the third pitch of the game, giving the Brewers a 1-0 lead. It was Segura's first career leadoff home run.
Lucroy added a solo home run in the second before designated hitter Adam Lind added a three-run blast in the third to make it a 5-0 game.
For Gibson, the three homers allowed over the first three innings matched the total he had over his last six games and the five runs allowed were the most since his first start of the season on April 6 against Detroit when he allowed six.
Minnesota answered with a five-run fifth, getting RBI singles from second baseman Brian Dozier and Hunter before the big blow, a three-run homer by first baseman Joe Mauer. All the hits came with two outs in the inning.
NOTES: Brewers RF Ryan Braun did not play Friday because of a cryotherapy procedure on his ailing thumb. He could return to the lineup on Saturday. ... Brewers LHP Will Smith's eight-game suspension for using a foreign substance in a game May 21 has been reduced to six games. ... Twins RHP J.R. Graham will make his first major league start on Saturday in place of RHP Ricky Nolasco, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Thursday. Graham has appeared in 14 games this season, all out of the bullpen. ... The Brewers and Twins will play the second game of a three-game series at Target Field on Saturday. Milwaukee's Matt Garza (3-7, 5.52 ERA) will oppose Minnesota's Graham (0-0, 3.14 ERA).