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Parra, Brewers cool off Twins

Jun 29, 2008 - 4:54 AM By Anthony Maggio PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Toting a 10-game winning streak, the Minnesota Twins were the hottest team in baseball. But who was there to hand them their last loss before the streak and the loss to snap it? That would be the hottest team in baseball for more than a month - the Milwaukee Brewers.

Manny Parra tossed seven scoreless innings to win his sixth consecutive start and Bill Hall chipped in two RBI as the Brewers defeated the Twins, 5-1, on Saturday at the Metrodome.

The Brewers won for just the 10th time this season without hitting a home run - Ryan Braun was robbed of one in the ninth inning - and improved to a league best 24-12 since May 20.

"It always starts with pitching," Milwaukee center field Mike Cameron said. "We've also been getting better as Rickie (Weeks) gets on base early, creating an opportunity for (Ryan Braun, Prince Fielder and Cory Hart). We've been playing good defense, too. Those are the things that the Twins are doing well, and it starts with starting pitching."

Minnesota starter Livan Hernandez (8-5) struggled early and lost for the first time in his last three starts, allowing five runs - four earned - on seven hits with four walks and five strikeouts in seven innings.

The Brewers started things off immediately with a Weeks walk and singles from J.J. Hardy and Braun to take a one-run lead in the top of the first inning. Cameron doubled with one out in the second inning, took third on Hernandez's throwing error and scored on Jason Kendall's groundout to make the score 2-0.

The third inning gave the Brewers some breathing room, when Hernandez walked two of the first three batters and Hart's double plated Hardy from second base. After Russell Branyan was intentionally walked to load the bases, Hall hit the first pitch he saw for a two-RBI double.

It was just the third start in the last nine games for Hall, whose average had dipped to .218 entering Saturday's contest.

"He's really been plugging hard and working hard," Brewers manager Ned Yost said. "He finally has something to show for it."

Hernandez retired the next two Brewers to escape further damage, but Parra (8-2) made sure Minnesota wouldn't make a second consecutive comeback after erasing a three-run deficit on Friday.

Parra struggled a bit with his command after walking a season-high six batters in his last outing, but stayed out of trouble despite throwing just 63 of his 112 pitches for strikes. Still, Parra walked only four batters and struck out six to improve to 7-0 in his last 11 starts. He didn't cede a run for the third time during that stretch.

"You live and learn, so to speak, on that mound and gain experience," Yost said. "The good ones take a little something from each time they pitch and learn from it."

The lessons certainly aren't lost on Parra, who was happy to get the win but is frustrated with his control. Parra has walked 14 batters in his last three starts and 46 in 86 2/3 innings this season.

"It's something I've battled all year, just getting ahead of guys," Parra said. "When I do do it, I'm going to have a lot of success and go deeper into games than I'm doing right now. I'm hard on myself because that's the only way I feel like I'm going to be better."

He was plenty good as far as the Twins were concerned.

"Their lefty was really good, changed speeds and was effectively wild in the strike zone," Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said. "He really mixed it up on us and made it tough on our hitters. When he got behind in the count he was able to come back and throw enough strikes and make enough quality pitches to stop us, and we've been swinging the bat pretty good."

Parra continued the success shared by most of Milwaukee's starters as of late - they have combined to throw 22 quality starts over their last 30 games. Twenty-one of those have turned into Brewers victories.

Jason Kubel accounted for Minnesota's only run with a two-out home run in the ninth inning off reliever Mitch Stetter.

Hardy upped his hitting streak to 10 games for the Brewers, while Prince Fielder snapped an 0-for-18 slump with a fifth-inning single off Hernandez. Kendall finished with two hits for Milwaukee, which will try to win its third consecutive series on the road on Sunday.

Brendan Harris also increased his hitting streak to a career-high 10 games for the Twins.