Sometimes you just run into a pitcher who's in such a zone that you don't have a chance.
That was the case Saturday for the Twins as Manny Para and the Milwaukee Brewers ended a 10-game winning streak. The Twins had only three hits, and their only run came when Jason Kubel hit a homer with two outs in the ninth. That was against Mitch Stetter -- Parra pitched seven scoreless innings and gave up only two hits.
Parra, 8-2, has won seven of his last eight starts. Hot team, meet hot pitcher. The hot team was cooled off.
Livan Hernandez didn't pitch horribly, allowing four earned runs in seven innings. At least the heart of the bullpen got rested. Boof Bonser's OK when you have him pitch in a blowout. Manager Ron Gardenhire hasn't used him in any close games lately.
The Brewers scored one in the first, one in the second and three in the third, when Bill Hall and Corey Hart hit RBI doubles. Hernandez hung in there to eat up some innings.
The Twins, 44-37, fell to a game and a half behind the White Sox, who nipped the Cubs, 6-5. The Brewers, with the Cubs loss, drew to within four and a half games of Chicago in the NL Central. Look for them to make a run, especially if they pick up some extra pitching (as many believe they might do).
Michael Cuddyer sat out the game with an injury. Kubel played right field, and he's been increasing his average steadily. He's up to .267 and has been a pretty good RBI man (41). Delmon Young, in left, was one of the few Twins players to get a hit, and he's batting .282.
Nick Punto played second base and Alexi Casilla got the day off.
