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Brewers-Twins Preview

May 23, 2009 - 5:26 AM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

Milwaukee (26-15) at Minnesota (19-23), 7:10 p.m. EDT

Michael Cuddyer's red-hot hitting is playing a big part in the Minnesota Twins' recent offensive surge.

A night after hitting for the cycle for the first time, Cuddyer will try to help the Twins continue their impressive production when they face the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers in the middle game of their interleague series at the Metrodome.

Cuddyer is 12 for 23 with four home runs and 12 RBIs over the last five games. In Friday's 11-3 victory, the right fielder joined teammate Jason Kubel to hit for the cycle this season.

"I guess it was in the cards for me," Cuddyer, who was given the ball from the triple that completed the feat making him the 10th player in Twins history to do so. "A broken bat down the left-field line to complete the cycle is not something you see everyday."

That came after Cuddyer went 4 for 6 with a home run and three RBIs in Thursday's 20-1 road rout of the Chicago White Sox to halt a season-high six-game losing streak. Minnesota (20-23) has collected 32 hits over the last two games.

Cuddyer's surge has raised his batting average 39 points to .291, and he's also hit seven homers with 30 RBIs this season. He batted .249 with three homers and 36 RBIs last year, as injuries limited him to 71 games.

He's had tremendous success in his last 11 games against the Brewers (26-16), going 16 for 43 (.372) with a homer and 11 RBIs.

Minnesota recalled pitcher Anthony Swarzak from Triple-A Rochester on Thursday, and he'll make his major league debut in place of the injured Glen Perkins (left elbow inflammation).

Swarzak's career stalled in 2007 when he was suspended 50 games for testing positive for a banned substance that was reportedly recreational, but the right-hander is grateful for the chance to show what he can do.

"Anything I can do to help this team," Swarzak told the Twins' official Web site. "I just want to try and make them better in any way, shape or form. If that means I'm wearing street clothes in the stands and rooting for them, I'll do whatever I can."

Swarzak went 3-4 with a 2.25 ERA in seven starts with Rochester after posting a 5-0 record and 1.80 ERA in seven starts last year following a promotion from Double-A New Britain.

The Brewers hope Braden Looper (4-2, 4.26 ERA) can win a third consecutive start for the first time since opening 3-0 for St. Louis last year.

On Monday, the right-hander yielded three runs and three hits in six innings of an 8-4 road win over the Cardinals. That came five days after he allowed five runs and eight hits with six strikeouts in six innings of an 8-6 victory against Florida.

Looper, a converted reliever who joined Milwaukee as a free agent, will make his first career start against the Twins. He has no record and a 4.91 ERA in three relief appearances against them, but he hasn't faced them since he blew a save for the New York Mets on June 10, 2004.

Overall, he hasn't fared well in interleague play, going 1-4 with a 7.36 ERA in seven starts.