Milwaukee @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 1, 2011 ) Milwaukee 2, Minnesota 6

THE STORY: It has been a rough first half for Jim Thome, Joe Mauer and the Minnesota Twins, but things may be starting to look up. Thome tries to move closer to joining an exclusive club and Mauer aims to build off his best game of the season when the Twins host the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday. The Twins, winners of three straight, ended a seven-game losing skid to Milwaukee with Friday's 6-2 victory. The big blow was Thome’s three-run homer, the 594th of his career. The road-weary Brewers, meanwhile, have lost four in a row.

TV: 7:10 pm. ET, Fox Sports Wisconsin (Milwaukee), Fox Sports North (Minnesota)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers LH Chris Narveson (5-5, 4.42 ERA) vs. Twins RH Carl Pavano (5-6, 4.24). Narveson held the Twins to two runs and five hits in 6 2/3 innings last Sunday to improve to 3-1 with a 3.38 ERA in his last five starts. He is 2-2 with a 4.85 ERA in four games – two starts – against Minnesota. Pavano is seeking to avenge his last outing against Milwaukee. The right-hander was roughed up for five runs and eight hits in six innings of a 6-2 loss Sunday. It was a rare poor outing for Pavano, who entered 3-0 with a 1.64 ERA and two complete games over his last four starts. He is 2-4 with a 4.91 ERA in 13 games – 11 starts – versus the Brewers. Ryan Braun is 4-for-10 with two homers and six RBIs against Pavano, and Prince Fielder is 3-for-7 with a home run against him.

ABOUT THE TWINS (35-45): Minnesota suffered multiple key injuries while losing 37 of its first 51 games, but has come to life. The Twins ripped off a 15-2 run in June and finished the month 17-9. With Mauer heating up, July could be fruitful as well. The four-time All-Star catcher, who missed 58 games due to bilateral weakness, recorded his first three-hit game of the season Friday. Another good sign was Thome’s first homer since May 23. He is six shy of becoming the eighth player to reach 600 home runs.

ABOUT THE BREWERS (44-39): The Brewers have lost four in a row for the first time since dropping a season-high seven straight April 30 to May 6. For reasons unknown to first-year manager Ron Roenicke, the Brewers are a completely different team away from Miller Park. They’ve lost five straight and nine of 11 on the road. One reason for its struggles is that Milwaukee is failing to execute the simplest of plays. Case in point: the normally sure-handed Fielder let a routine ground ball slip through his legs Friday. It was the Brewers’ 31st road error, 15 more than they’ve committed at home. No matter where Braun plays, he continues to hit. The left fielder had an RBI single Friday, extending the majors’ longest hitting streak to 21 games.

FINAL PITCH: Entering Friday, Milwaukee was hitting 49 points lower on the road (.233) than at home (.282). Said Roenicke: “I don't understand those numbers, and I don't understand the defensive numbers. Those don't make sense.”