Minnesota Twins True To Form on East Coast Road Trip

The Minnesota Twins are coming home after a brutal East Coast road trip.

The Twins return home licking their wounds after the following:

A 2-5 road trip.
The first three-game losing streak of the season.
Losing two of three series and splitting the other.

The dismal result of the past week has Twins fans scratching their heads.

So much for the swagger the Twins appeared to have earlier this season.

Sure, they finally beat the Yankees after going 0-10 against them in 2009. But they followed that losing three of four in Toronto and Boston, all but knocking any swagger this team had right into the Boston Harbor.

The consistent starting pitching that appeared to be a strength for this team with four starters at four wins took a leave of absence. 

Francisco Liriano, who has three wins following a Twins loss this season, went 0-2 with his shortest outing of the season on Thursday and was unable to complete the fifth inning.

What has happened to the staff ace and stopper?

Combined with the offense's struggle of leaving men on base, resulted in the Twins being outscored 24-41 over the seven game span.

Has the problem of leaving too many "ducks on the pond" finally become a huge concern with losses to better competition?  

If not for a postponed rainout in Detroit on Monday, the Twins could have found themselves limping home a half-game out of first.

How will the Twins react with the first rough stretch the team has experienced this season?

With only one win in their last 10 games, the Milwaukee Brewers are just what the Twins need right now.

Since 2002, when Ron Gardenhire took over as manager, the Twins are 29-19 against the Brew Crew and 16-8 at home.

A series sweep against the interstate rival will be just the salve needed before things heat up next week with temperatures in the 90s and the Target Field debut of the New York Yankees, followed by the AL Western Division first-place Texas Rangers.  

Will the friendly confines of Target Field be enough to shake the Twins out of this mini-slump, or will they continue to struggle, failing to regain the swagger of their fast start?