Twins, Brewers clash in matchup of Central leaders

The Milwaukee Brewers will try to bring their recent road success home when they host the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night in the opener of a two-game interleague series between division leaders.

Veteran left-hander Wade Miley (6-3, 3.05 ERA) gets the nod for Milwaukee, opposed by right-hander Bailey Ober (6-6, 3.40).

Milwaukee entered its off day on Monday with a three-game lead over the Chicago Cubs in the National League Central. The Brewers completed a three-game sweep of the American League West-leading Texas Rangers with a 6-2 victory Sunday.

Milwaukee finished its road trip with a 6-3 mark, sweeping three from the Chicago White Sox; scoring just three runs in three games while being swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers; then bouncing back to win three straight in Texas.

“We want it like steady-as-it-goes, and sometimes it bounces up and down a little bit,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. “But we played a good series, get to enjoy a day off and onto another tough challenge.”

Minnesota, also idle Monday, blanked Pittsburgh 2-0 on Sunday behind veteran Dallas Keuchel, who took a perfect game into the seventh. The Twins, the only team in the AL Central above .500, increased their lead to six games over Cleveland.

Milwaukee, which scored 21 runs in the three wins at Texas, are 55-14 when scoring four or more runs, but 13-43 when scoring three or fewer.

First baseman Carlos Santana, acquired just before the deadline from Pittsburgh, has four homers and 10 RBIs in his last seven games. Rowdy Tellez, on the injured list since early July, was activated over the weekend after going 7-for-31 with one homer and five RBIs in an eight-game rehab stint at Triple-A Nashville.

Shortstop Willy Adames, who has struggled offensively all season, was 7-for-13 with a homer and four RBIs in the Texas series.

Miley will be making his fourth start since coming off the injured list on Aug. 2 (left elbow discomfort). He is 0-1 in August, despite a 3.00 ERA over those three starts.

In his last start, Miley took the loss in a 7-1 defeat to the Dodgers, allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits in five innings.

Miley is 1-0 with a 4.18 ERA in five career games, including four starts, against Minnesota.

Ober will be facing the Brewers for the second time this season. He earned the win on June 14 when he allowed two runs on a pair of solo homers in six innings in a 4-2 victory.

Ober did not get the decision in his last start, allowing two runs on four hits in five innings in a 5-3 win over Detroit.

“I felt really good … I felt like my stuff was moving a lot,” Ober said after his last outing. “I was able to locate some 0-2 pitches, get some strikeouts, a good double-play ball at the end. I felt pretty good.”

Ober is 0-2 in five starts since his last victory on July 18. He has pitched five innings or fewer in his last four starts, after going six or more innings in seven consecutive outings.

Twins shortstop Carlos Correa has reached safely in 12 straight games, hitting .325 (13-for-40) with two doubles, three homers and nine RBIs over that span. Outfielder Max Kepler is hitting .320 (8-for-25) with two homers, four RBIs and five runs over his last seven games.

Minnesota is 36-26 at home, but 29-34 on the road.

—Field Level Media