Twins vs. Brewers Preview
MILWAUKEE (AP) – Milwaukee’s Prince Fielder leads the NL in RBIs.
This shouldn’t come as any surprise to AL teams.
Fielder looks to continue to batter AL pitching and help lead the Brewers to a sixth straight win over the Minnesota Twins on Saturday night at Miller Park.
According to MLB odds and oddsmakers from online sports book Bodog have made the Brewers -140 money line favorites for Saturday’s game against the Twins. Current MLB Public Betting Information shows that 51% of more than 194 bets for this game have been placed on the Twins +134
In Friday’s series opener, Fielder doubled in the go-ahead runs with two outs in the seventh inning to rally Milwaukee (42-35) to a 4-3 win.
Fielder pushed his NL-leading RBI total to 65, and has 16 go-ahead RBIs for the Brewers, who have a one-game lead over St. Louis atop the Central.
“Right now, I’m on the team and trying to help us win in 2011. That’s what I’m paid to do,” said Fielder, who becomes a free agent in the offseason. “We have a good team. That makes it easier. The contract thing, it is what it is. I think it’s a business, but this year I’m with the Brewers and after that, I don’t know.”
If Fielder was to end up in the AL, the Junior Circuit would have a good idea of the first baseman’s prowess. In seven interleague games, Fielder is batting .429 with six RBIs and has a .571 on-base percentage.
Fielder, however, hasn’t had much luck against scheduled starter Francisco Liriano (4-6, 4.59 ERA), managing one hit in 11 career at-bats.
Ryan Braun, batting .328 with 12 RBIs during a career-best 15-game hitting streak, has also been shut down by Liriano, going 0 for 4.
The Brewers have won five straight over Minnesota after losing seven of the previous eight meetings.
The Twins (32-42) have lost three in a row overall after winning 15 of their previous 17. They’ve totaled five runs and are batting .167 during the skid.
“Very disappointing loss for our ballclub,” Ron Gardenhire said.
Making matters worse, Minnesota learned before Friday’s game that Justin Morneau needs neck surgery to remove a herniated disk fragment, keeping him out another six weeks.
Despite the news about Morneau, the Twins’ bench could be a little deeper with Jim Thome expected to return after missing three weeks with a strained quadriceps. Thome is seven homers shy of 600.
Minnesota’s Danny Valencia hit his third homer in six games Friday, a three-run shot in the sixth inning.
The Twins’ offense hopes to break out of its funk against Yovani Gallardo (8-4, 4.11), who is 0-2 with a 6.43 ERA in his last three starts after posting a 1.32 ERA in winning his previous six.
Gallardo struggled mightily in Boston on Sunday, yielding a season-worst eight runs – five earned – and nine hits in three innings of a 12-3 loss. Six of the runs the right-hander allowed came in the first inning.
Gallardo went 1-0 with a 2.40 ERA in two starts against the Twins last season – including a five-hitter while striking out a career high-tying 12 in 5-0 win last June 24.
Liriano is 3-1 with a 2.74 ERA in four outings against the Brewers, striking out 30 in 23 innings.
Liriano gave up three runs and eight hits while fanning eight over seven innings in Sunday’s 5-4 win over San Diego but didn’t receive a decision.
Although it wasn’t one of his best outings, Liriano again managed to trim his ERA. After recording a 9.13 ERA in his first five starts, the left-hander has posted a 2.20 ERA in his last seven outings, taking 4.54 off his ERA.
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