• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Slowey, Twins throttle Brewers

Jun 14, 2008 - 4:16 AM By David Cotey PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

MILWAUKEE (Ticker) -- Kevin Slowey'S trophy case got a little more crowded Friday.

The 24-year-old righthander pitched eight innings and collected his first two career hits and RBI as the Minnesota Twins beat the Milwaukee Brewers, 10-2, on Friday in the opener of a three-game interleague series at Miller Park.

Justin Morneau and Alexi Casilla drove in three runs each for the Twins, who won for just the second time in eight road games.

Slowey (3-6), who threw first-pitch strikes to 22 of 28 batters, allowed just two baserunners through the first six innings. He gave up two runs in the seventh inning, and finished with five strikeouts, no walks and five hits allowed.

"We stress (getting ahead) and we keep count of it. It's one of the stats that we keep," Slowey said of his first-pitch strike performance. "It's a big deal. You don't really think about it during the game, but every batter you want to get ahead of to give yourself a chance."

In the sixth inning, Slowey doubled off Brewers starter Dave Bush (2-7) for his first career hit. One inning later, after reliever Tim Dillard intentionally walked Mike Lamb to load the bases, Slowey delivered a two-run double to left field to give his team a 6-0 lead.

A clubhouse attendant collected both balls for Slowey, who had them on display in the top of his locker.

"It will be neat to look back on at some point," Slowey said. "For now, I'll probably just send them to my dad and he'll take care of them. It's neat to get a chance to hit because growing up, you always think of yourself as a hitter in the major leagues."

Two batters later, Slowey scored his first run on Casilla's three-run double to right.

"Slowey was a very good story," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "He threw the ball fantastic. ... I don't know how much more he could do. He had a good night hitting and pitching."

Morneau hit a two-run triple and scored on Delmon Young's single in the fifth inning for a 4-0 lead.

"It's night to be on the right side of the game for a chance, but it doesn't really mean much if we don't come out tomorrow with the same kind of energy," Morneau said. "It's something to build on, but at the same time, we don't want to waste it on one good game."

Bush's season-long struggles continued. Five days after allowing five runs in just four innings in a 7-2 loss to the Colorado Rockies, Bush surrendered four runs - three earned - on a season-worst 10 hits to the Twins.

"All in all, I wasn't displeased with the way threw, but there are some pitches I want back," Bush said. "I liked what I did for the most part."

Bush allowed fewer than four earned runs for just the fifth time in 12 starts this season for the Brewers, who had their six-game home winning streak snapped.

"He kept us in the ballgame and still gave us a chance to maybe put something together and stay in the game," Brewers manager Ned Yost said.