Hendriks gets another shot at win No. 1 against Brewers

Liam Hendriks gets another shot for his first major league win, as he takes the mound for the Twins this afternoon against the Brewers.

Hendriks, who will make his fifth start of 2012 and ninth of his career, is coming off back-to-back losses in which he's been shelled. The 23-year-old Australian native has been pounded for 18 hits and 13 runs over 6 1/3 innings over defeats to the Angels and Red Sox.

Mike Fiers, who turned 27 yesterday, gets the ball for the Brewers. The righty was touched for 10 hits and four runs over six innings in a 5-2 loss to the Padres a week ago.

Last night, Martin Maldonado's two-run home run in the ninth inning lifted the Brewers to a 5-3 win.

With Matt Capps (1-4) on the mound, Corey Hart doubled to start the inning, but stayed there as the next two batters recorded outs. Maldonado, though, crushed a 2-2 pitch deep over the wall in left-center for the lead.

John Axford, who had blown saves in outings on Wednesday and Thursday against the Royals, set the Twins down in order in the ninth for his 11th save of the season.

Kameron Loe (3-2) took the win for pitching 1 2/3 scoreless innings while Yovani Gallardo gave up three runs on eight hits with two walks and seven strikeouts over six innings in the start for the Brewers, who were coming off a sweep at the hands of Kansas City.

"I just tried to throw my best stuff like I do every night," said Gallardo.

Ryan Braun hit a three-run home run in the win.

Trevor Plouffe continued his torrid pace in June with his eighth and ninth home runs of the month. Brian Dozier went 3-for-4 with a run scored while Alexi Casilla was 2-for-4 with an RBI for the Twins, who have dropped four of their last five.

"That was a tough one to lose tonight," said Dozier. "Francisco pitched a great game, just one bad pitch that I bet he wishes he could have back. But it was definitely a tough loss, we were right there the whole night."

Minnesota took two of three from the Brewers earlier in the season.