Brewers score go-ahead run in 9th, beat Twins 6-5
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Milwaukee Brewers had just given away a lead in the eighth inning and entered the ninth a little rattled as another game started slipping away.
If a positive early season trend has developed for this struggling franchise, it has been the ability to bounce back late in a game.
Scooter Gennett hit a tiebreaking single in the ninth inning and the Brewers beat Minnesota 6-5 Tuesday, ending the Twins' four-game winning streak.
Moments after the Brewers gave up a three-run lead in the eighth, Yadiel Rivera led off the ninth with a double against Kevin Jepsen (0-3) and got to third on an error by center fielder Byron Buxton. Gennett followed with his second hit of the game to help the Brewers snap a three-game skid.
It was the second time in a week that the Brewers pulled off the trick. They gave away the lead in St. Louis last Wednesday before scoring two in the ninth to win, 6-4.
"It's a great message for the team," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "You start coming back in those games early in the season and it gives you a good feeling as you move forward. Really proud of the guys today, for sure."
Jeremy Jeffress picked up his fifth save in five tries.
Byung Ho Park and Eddie Rosario hit home runs in the Twins eighth off Tyler Thornburg (2-0) to tie it at 5. But Minnesota missed several opportunities early in the game against Wily Peralta.
Ryan Braun had two hits and an RBI and Chris Carter drove in two runs hit for the Brewers.
Peralta gave up two runs on five hits and walked four in five innings.
Twins starter Ervin Santana allowed five runs -- two earned -- on five hits with three walks in five innings.
Thornburg was off to a sterling start for the Brewers this season. He had not allowed a run in five appearances and was holding opposing hitters to a .118 batting average.
But Park drove a pitch into the second deck in left field to make it 5-3 and Rosario came off the bench one batter later to hit a two-run shot to center field to tie the game.
"It's really nice just being that guy that gave up those runs and should have been lock down, or whatever," Thornburg said. "It's really nice to have the hitters pick you up. It makes it a lot easier to deal with, a lot, a lot easier to deal with."
The Twins loaded the bases three times in the first two innings against Peralta, but only had two runs to show for it thanks to a double play from Miguel Sano and a groundout from Eduardo Nunez. Peralta settled down after that, retiring 10 straight while the Brewers chipped away at Santana.
The Twins right-hander was hardly recognizable when he took the mound without the braids that have become so familiar for him over the years. He was visibly frustrated in the fifth when Sano's error in right field led to a three-run inning for the Brewers.
Jonathan Lucroy had an RBI double in the inning and scored on a passed ball against catcher John Ryan Murphy to make it 5-2.
"There were a couple miscues out there that were fairly obvious to see," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "Ervin kind of fought himself today as far as command. But we try to look for the positives. We stayed the game and battled and found a way to come back and get it even going into the ninth."
STREAK BREAKER
Brewers rookie Colin Walsh had gone 0 for 10 in his first 11 games. He finally got his first big league hit on a double in the first inning.
"It's definitely nice to get out of the way," Walsh said. "Hopefully, a lot more start coming."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Twins: Put 3B Trevor Plouffe on the 15-day disabled list with a right intercostal strain. INF Jorge Polanco was recalled from Triple-A Rochester to take Plouffe's roster spot.
UP NEXT
The series shifts to Milwaukee, where the Twins will send LHP Tommy Milone (0-1, 5.06) to the mound to face RHP Jimmy Nelson (2-1, 2.79). Milone has given up multiple homers in both of his starts this season. Opponents are hitting just .176 against Nelson this season.
