Neal: Twins’ June struggles continue with 17-6 loss to Brewers as Jacob Misiorowski is nearly untouchable

Two games were played at Target Field on Friday night. One was filled with intrigue. One made me want to shower.

Milwaukee righthander Jason Misiorowski made the Twins look utterly helpless in his second major league start, taking a perfect game into the seventh inning. He threatened to become the first starter to deny the Twins a hit since the Angels’ Jered Weaver in 2012.

The Brewers broke the game open in the final innings to ease to a 17-6 victory in the first of the three-game Border Battle series. Christian Yelich tied a franchise record with eight RBI as Milwaukee pulverized the Twins bullpen in the late innings, turning the game into a laugher. Jonah Bride was pressed into service, once again, to pitch, the fourth time the infielder has had to do that in 14 games.

The Twins have lost 11 of their past 14 games. In those 14 games, they have given up 10 or more runs five times.

The Brewers made the Twins bullpen look like a playpen, scoring 14 runs over the last three innings off Justin Topa, Joey Wentz and Bride. Pablo López and Zebby Matthews are on the injured list. But there is no reason for the pitching staff to suddenly because the worst in baseball this month.

And Baldelli was playing reliever roulette Friday, except every chamber was loaded.

“There’s nothing here that I’m saying that’s going to be directed at any one player,” manager Rocco Baldelli said. “That’s nothing like what I’m talking about. But as a team, we’ve got to come together as a team right now and collectively step up. Myself included, the coaching staff, all the players. As a team, we have to do better than what we’re doing right now.”

BOXSCORE: Milwaukee 17, Twins 6

Misiorowski was removed from his major league debut on June 12 at St. Louis after slipping on the mound while throwing a pitch because of cramps. He had thrown five no-hit innings at that point, with his fastball reaching 102 miles per hour.

Most of his outing Friday was simply an extension.

The Twins spent the night looking at triple-digit readings on the scoreboard. Misiorowski threw 29 fastballs of at least 100 mph during the game. The Twins whiffed on heaters and looked befuddled as the 6-foot-7 Missouri native caressed the corners for called strike threes.

“I think it was a good day for ... how do you same his name? Misiorowski,” Baldelli said. “I think he simply just had an excellent day on the mound.”

The first time through the order, Misiorowski retired nine batters while throwing 11 pitches of at least 100 mph. Willi Castro ended the first inning by corkscrewing himself to the ground while swinging at — and defending against — a nasty Misiorowski slider.

In the fourth, Jackson Chourio led off with a walk, immediately stole second, moved to third on a broken-bat comebacker to the mound then scored on William Contreras’ sacrifice-fly lineout. The Brewers led 1-0 without either team having recorded a hit.

Misiorowski took a perfect game into the seventh before Byron Buxton drew a four-pitch walk and Matt Wallner lofted a home run down the right field line.

That was the intrigue. Misiorowski began his career with a 11 no-hit innings, the first MLB starter to do so in the expansion era. And an announced crowd of 28,011 watching him get nine outs away from history. The cheers he received upon being removed from the game were louder than the cheers following Wallner’s home run.

Ryan tried to hang with him before eventually faltering. The Brewers made him work, as he threw 101 pitches in 5⅓ innings. He left trailing 2-0, a third run scored when Danny Coulombe gave up an RBI single to Yelich and the game devolved from there.

“How do you pronounce his name?” Ryan asked before adding. “He was great. I’ve actually seen some videos of him in the minors and he’s got some of the best stuff in the big leagues.”

That’s what everyone, hopefully, learned Friday, despite the unwatchable action over the final three innings.