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Brewers-Twins Preview

May 24, 2009 - 4:41 AM By KATE HEDLIN STATS Writer

Milwaukee (26-16) at Minnesota (20-23), 8:05 p.m. EDT

The Milwaukee Brewers were only able to silence Joe Mauer for one game, but that's still more than most teams have been able to since he's come off the disabled list.

Led by Mauer, the Minnesota Twins look to win their season-high fourth straight game Sunday night when they try to complete a three-game sweep of the Brewers.

Mauer went 0 for 2 on Friday, although he walked twice and had two RBIs. It was only the third time in 21 games since being activated from the DL following offseason kidney surgery that Mauer failed to record a hit.

He made up for it Saturday, going 3 for 3 with a solo home run in a 6-2 victory.

Mauer has hit nine homers in 21 games - matching his total in 146 games a year ago. He's batting .429 and has driven in 10 of his 28 runs over the last three games.

In the final season at the Metrodome, he's hitting .526 (20 for 38) with five homers and 17 RBIs.

"I still don't have an answer for you. I'm just seeing the ball well," the St. Paul, Minn. native said.

Joe Crede also hit a home run Saturday, and the Twins (21-23) have tallied eight during their winning streak with at least one in six straight games. Spearheaded by a 20-1 rout of the Chicago White Sox on Thursday, Minnesota has scored 37 runs and has 42 hits in the last three contests.

The Brewers (26-17), meanwhile, have lost three of four after winning seven in a row. Saturday's loss guaranteed them their first losing series since dropping two of three on the road against the New York Mets from April 17-19.

Milwaukee has a 6.55 staff ERA in its last four games after recording a 2.29 ERA during its winning streak.

Offense has also been a problem. The Brewers, who were without J.J. Hardy (back spasms) and Corey Hart (bruised right hand) on Saturday, are 4 for 15 with runners in scoring position in the series. They've also gone three games without a homer, matching the longest drought of the season.

"You're not going to go out there and slug all the time," first-year manager Ken Macha said. "The Twins aren't going to give things to you. They're No. 1 in the league in fewest walks. You've got to out there and earn the runs that you do score."

Hardy is expected to sit out Sunday while Hart is day-to-day.

The Brewers' Dave Bush (3-0, 3.74 ERA) will look to win his third straight start. He allowed two runs and seven hits over six innings of a 4-2 victory over Houston on Tuesday.

The Brewers have won Bush's last six outings. The right-hander is 1-4 with a 4.18 ERA in five starts against the Twins.

Struggling Scott Baker (1-5, 6.98) will go for Minnesota. After throwing seven scoreless innings against Seattle on May 8, Baker has allowed nine runs over 11 innings in his last two starts. He gave up four in five innings against the White Sox on Tuesday in a 6-2 loss.

The right-hander is 2-2 with a 5.63 ERA in four starts against the Brewers.