Major League Baseball

Braun, Lind hit 2-run HRs in 8th, Brewers hold off Twins

Published Jun. 28, 2015 5:31 p.m. ET

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MILWAUKEE (AP) At this point in the season, any win is a well-timed one for the Milwaukee Brewers.

Ryan Braun and Adam Lind hit two-run homers in the eighth inning and the Brewers beat the Minnesota Twins 5-3 on Sunday.

The Brewers have the second-worst record in the majors, only ahead of Philadelphia.

''We've gotten to a point where we need to get back to wanting to win, to feeling like we're going to win, to showing up and feeling like we've got a legitimate chance to win,'' Braun said. ''I think winning is something that's learned as a team.''

The Brewers weathered a Twins rally in the ninth inning and won the three-game series.

Down 5-1, Torii Hunter, who homered twice Saturday, hit a two-run homer off Francisco Rodriguez. Two quick outs followed Hunter's blast, but then the Twins got a pair of singles to put runners at the corners.

Brian Dozier, who had hit safely in all nine previous career games at Miller Park, took a called third strike to end the game.

Will Smith (4-0) retired the Twins in order in the eighth.

The Brewers pushed a run across off reliever Blaine Boyer in the seventh. Aramis Ramirez led off with a double and left for pinch-runner Hector Gomez, who advanced on a sacrifice and scored when Gerardo Parra, batting for starter Mike Fiers, lined a single.

It was tied at 1 when Jonathan Lucroy opened the Milwaukee eighth with a walk from reliever Casey Fien (2-3). Braun followed with his 15th home run.

''There's strikes and then there's quality strikes and I didn't throw enough quality strikes,'' Fien said. ''The strikes I did throw, they hit.''

Carlos Gomez then singled, stole second and scored on Lind's 11th homer.

''I'm just glad to get on base, to be honest,'' Lucroy said. ''It's been a battle. Brauny and then Gomey and Adam, they had some really good at-bats after me.''

Lucroy agreed with Braun that the team needs to find its winning edge.

''We've got some good hitters in the lineup,'' Lucroy said. ''We've got to put it all together, so we can get all clicking.''

Twins starter Tommy Milone cruised through the first five innings with seven strikeouts and one hit, a bloop single by Hernan Perez in the second.

Milone went six innings and allowed two hits.

Twins manager Paul Molitor was impressed with the left-hander's effort.

''He was solid,'' Molitor said. ''He put up a lot of zeroes for us and gave us a chance. I was hoping when he came out of the game, we could get him a run and maybe get him a win. It was looking good, but the Brewers have played us tough.''

Fiers was just as effective through six, retiring 16 of the first 20 batters, and holding the Twins to two hits. In the seventh, Joe Mauer and Trevor Plouffe reached on singles. One out later, Kurt Suzuki walked and Eduardo Escobar's sacrifice fly into left was just deep enough for Mauer to beat the throw home.

Fiers went seven innings, allowed four hits, struck out four and walked three.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Twins: Molitor hasn't determined yet how to reshuffle the starting rotation after RHP Ervin Santana returns July 5 following his 80-game suspension after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance. ''It's not a no-brainer as far as what the solution will be,'' Molitor said. The 32-year-old right-hander, thought to be the No. 2 starter, is in his first year with the Twins after signing a four-year, $55 million contract in the offseason. He also has a $14 million team option for a fifth year.

Brewers: No date has been set for LF Khris Davis' rehab assignment. He's been on the 15-day DL with a torn meniscus in his right knee.

UP NEXT

Twins: RHP Mike Pelfrey (5-4) makes his eighth career start and ninth career appearance against the Reds in Cincinnati on Monday. He last faced the Reds on July 27, 2011, while with the New York Mets.

Brewers: RHP Jimmy Nelson (4-8) aims for his seventh quality start and first ever against the Phillies in Philadelphia on Monday.

MOLITOR BOBBLEHEAD

Molitor was honored by his former team with a bobblehead. ''For them to do one for the visiting manager, I thought that was a pretty nice gesture,'' he said. ''The players are giving me a hard time, which makes it fun.''