Crede, Gomez, Harris have big two-out hits to lift Twins over Brewers 7-3 in series opener

Crede, Gomez, Harris lead Twins over Brewers

MILWAUKEE — Joe Crede, Carlos Gomez and Brendan Harris combined to drive in six runs, all with two outs, and the Minnesota Twins jumped on Milwaukee starter Jeff Suppan for a 7-3 victory over the Brewers in water damaged Miller Park on Tuesday night.

It was Milwaukee’s fourth straight loss overall and fifth in a row to the Twins, who have dominated the border rivalry recently and got off to a good start on their nine-game road trip.

While the Brewers were being swept in Detroit over the weekend, Miller Park fared worse with heavy rains on Friday that caused severe flash flooding and inundated the lower levels of the stadium, which opened in 2001, with several feet of water.

The Brewers are without batting cages, a weight room, conditioning equipment, video services, their private kitchen and their usual furniture after water soaked both clubhouses.

Nearly all the interior walls have been partially removed, keeping manager Ken Macha from having private talks with players in his office and the Twins from playing video games or watching a big screen TV after those items were ruined.

Minnesota scored in each of the first three innings off Suppan (5-5).

Crede’s three-run double in the first came after the veteran right-hander appeared to get the third out when Michael Cuddyer swung at strike three. But the ball got away from catcher Jason Kendall and Cuddyer reached to load the bases.

Harris’ two-out single scored a run in the second to make it 4-2. Delmon Young doubled in a run in the third before Gomez hit a two-run single that gave Minnesota a 7-3 lead.

All the offense covered Joe Mauer’s quiet night. He went 0 for 5 for the second time this season as his batting average dropped to .395.

Struggling Twins starter Francisco Liriano (3-8) allowed a two-out, two-run single to Mike Cameron in the first inning and an RBI double to Casey McGehee in the third. He walked five and struck out six in five innings, but allowed runners to reach scoring position in every inning.

Suppan lasted five innings, too, with the Brewers trying to conserve their bullpen after putting starter Dave Bush (triceps) on the disabled list Tuesday.

NOTES: Bush has gone 0-3 with a 10.38 ERA in four starts since being hit by a line drive in the pitching arm on June 4 against Florida. Milwaukee called up RHP Mike Burns to take Bush’s start Thursday. … Brewers GM Doug Melvin let the Twins know Miller Park would be ready and safe after being checked out by health inspectors. “I called (Twins GM) Bill Smith the other day and told him not to come to the park until 3 o’clock today. I told him Joe Mauer didn’t need to come until Friday,” Melvin joked. … Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said RHP Luis Ayala got his wish when the team designated him for assignment. “When you ask out of here, you will get out,” he said. “He talked about his contract for next year and you lose me right there. Do I seem a little bit irritated today? I’m a lot irritated.”