Minnesota @ Milwaukee preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 25, 2011 ) Minnesota 1, Milwaukee 11

THE STORY: The combination of being at home and facing the Minnesota Twins has proven to be the cure for the Milwaukee Brewers' brief rough patch. After losing seven of 10, the Brewers have taken the first two games of their series with the Twins to run their winning streak against Minnesota to six games and improve their major league-best home record to 28-11. They will try to finish the sweep Sunday.

TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, Fox Sports North (Minnesota), Fox Sports Wisconsin (Milwaukee)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Carl Pavano (5-5, 4.05 ERA) vs. Brewers LH Chris Narveson (4-5, 4.55). Pavano has been one of the hottest pitchers in the majors this month, going 3-0 with a 1.64 ERA in four June starts. He has two complete games during that span and came close to a third Tuesday at San Francisco, allowing two runs over eight innings. Pavano is 2-3 with a 4.66 ERA in 12 appearances (10 starts) against the Brewers. Narveson had won two straight starts before losing to Tampa Bay 8-4 on Monday. He allowed four runs over 6 2/3 innings. In one start and two relief appearances against the Twins, Narveson is 1-0 with a 7.11 ERA. The win came in a start last season in which he allowed three runs over five innings.

ABOUT THE TWINS (32-43): Minnesota looked like it might charge back into contention when it won 15 of 17 earlier this month, but it has lost four straight to slip eight games off the American League Central lead. And the Twins could be without left fielder Delmon Young for a while after he sprained his right ankle crashing into the wall while chasing a Yuniesky Betancourt fly ball that resulted in an inside-the-park home run Saturday.

ABOUT THE BREWERS (43-35): The Brewers keep hitting at home. They are averaging 5.3 runs per game at home after Saturday's 11-1 victory, compared with 3.5 runs per game on the road, and they've hit 54 home runs at Miller Park after four more long balls Saturday. Prince Fielder continues to lead the offense - he ran his National League-leading RBI total to 67 with a two-run homer Saturday - and Ryan Braun has hit safely in 16 consecutive games.

FINAL PITCH: The Brewers' two-game lead over St. Louis in the NL Central is their biggest cushion since May 19, 2009, when they had a three-game lead over the Cubs and Cardinals.