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Twins-Brewers Preview

Jun 22, 2009 - 10:03 PM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

Minnesota (35-36) at Milwaukee (37-32), 8:05 p.m. EDT

Between injuries and illness, the Minnesota Twins will likely be at less than full strength for the start of a nine-game road trip. However, they could get a boost from Justin Morneau, who is expected to return for the opener of a three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday night.

Morneau, batting .320 and leading Minnesota (35-36) with 16 home runs and 57 RBIs, missed Sunday's 4-1 loss to Houston with general soreness. It was the first time he sat out since June 27, 2007, ending a streak of 319 consecutive games that was second in the majors to Ryan Howard's 343-game streak.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire is hoping Monday's off day will allow the 2006 AL MVP to be ready to start the opener against the Brewers (37-32).

Morneau was instrumental in Minnesota's three-game sweep of Milwaukee from May 22-24, going 6 for 10 with a homer and seven RBIs. The Twins outscored the Brewers 23-8 and have won 16 of the last 22 meetings.

All-Star catcher Joe Mauer also knocked around Milwaukee's pitching staff, finishing last month's series 5 for 8 with two home runs, five RBIs, seven runs and three walks.

Mauer, who missed Thursday's 5-1 win over Pittsburgh with the flu, has had no trouble at Miller Park lately. He is batting .462 (12 for 26) with a homer, two doubles and five RBIs in six games there since the start of the 2006 season.

While Morneau is expected to play, the Twins could be without starting second baseman Nick Punto and designated hitter Jason Kubel.

Punto (bruised ribs) was out Sunday and is listed as day-to-day, while Kubel was forced to leave in the top of the fourth inning with a stomach ailment.

"There's really not a lot of answers right now," Gardenhire told the Twins' official Web site. "There's not people ready to come up here and help us, so we've got to let these guys get well."

The Brewers are returning to Miller Park, which sustained significant flood damage during a strong storm early Friday morning, after being swept by Detroit.

Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder were a combined 0 for 8 in a 3-2 loss in Sunday's series finale. Milwaukee has dropped nine of 13 to fall out of first place in the NL Central.

The Brewers look to get back in the win column with Jeff Suppan (5-4, 4.48 ERA) set to start Tuesday.

Milwaukee has won Suppan's last three starts and is 9-3 with him on the mound since April 19. On Wednesday, the right-hander allowed three runs and seven hits in six innings of a 9-8, 11-inning victory at Cleveland.

In his only start against the Twins last season, Suppan gave up two runs and seven hits in seven innings of a 9-4, 12-inning loss.

Minnesota counters with Francisco Liriano (2-8, 5.91), who is showing signs of getting his season on track.

Liriano gave up four runs and eight hits with six strikeouts in seven innings - his longest outing since May 4 - in Wednesday's 8-2 loss to Pittsburgh. The left-hander is 0-1 with a 3.79 ERA in his last three starts after posting a 12.00 ERA in losing his previous three.

Liriano hasn't faced the Brewers since 2006, when he went 2-0 with a 0.69 ERA in two starts against them, yielding five hits and striking out 17 in 13 innings.