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Twins seek to stay hot versus Brewers

May 29, 2013 - 2:42 PM (Sports Network) - Journeyman right-hander Samuel Deduno makes his second start of 2013 on Wednesday night when the Minnesota Twins begin the home portion of an interleague series with the Milwaukee Brewers at Target Field.

Eduardo Escobar hit a pinch-hit, sacrifice fly in the 14th inning to lift the Twins over the Brewers, 6-5, in the finale of a two-game set at Miller Park.

The Twins used the home-run ball to jump out to an early lead and utilized textbook small-ball to escape with the win in extras.

Ryan Doumit hit a two-run shot, while Josh Willingham and Aaron Hicks added solo blasts for Minnesota, which took both games in the series by getting to Burke Badenhop (0-2) in the 14th.

Hicks one-hopped the wall in center for a ground-rule double to open the inning, moved to third on Pedro Florimon's sacrifice bunt and easily scored when Escobar sent a deep fly to left.

Glen Perkins squandered a save opportunity, but it was an otherwise stellar showing from the Twins relievers, who allowed just one run on five hits over 9 1/3 innings.

Ryan Pressly (2-0) tossed two perfect innings to pick up the win, and Brian Duensing anchored the bullpen by stranding a runner in the bottom of the 14th to record his first career save.

"That was a long game," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "The (bullpen) did a super job."

Jean Segura matched a Milwaukee franchise record with six hits and knocked in a run in the ninth to send the game to extra innings. He upped his batting average from .347 to .365, but the Brewers dropped their fourth game in a row.

"Any time you go 14 innings and lose, it's tough," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said.

The teams split six games in their 2012 series, while the Brewers took four of six played in 2011. Minnesota last won the series in 2009, 5-1.

Deduno, who was signed as an amateur free agent by Colorado in 2003, reached the majors with the Rockies in 2010 and appeared in four games as a reliever before going to San Diego for two more relief outings in 2011.

He made 15 starts for the Twins last season and was 6-5 with a 4.44 earned run average across 79 full innings while allowing just 69 hits and striking out 57 batters.

His 2013 debut came May 24 at Detroit, when he was touched for six runs on nine hits in 5 1/3 innings of a 6-0 loss to the Tigers.

Deduno has never faced the Brewers.

Milwaukee goes with righty Marco Estrada, who can win a third straight decision after dropping two in a row in late April and early May.

The 29-year-old is 2-0 with a no-decision in three games since dropping a 10-1 decision to St. Louis on May 5, when he was battered for eight runs in just 3 1/3 innings.

He rebounded with seven innings of one-run ball while beating Pittsburgh on May 13, then topped the Pirates again, 2-1, with seven innings of four-hit, one-run work on May 24.

Estrada is 0-1 in four career meetings with Minnesota.