This Time, Radke Lives by the Homer

Home runs once again were the difference for Brad Radke. Only this time it was his teammates who hit them.

Ron Coomer and Darrin Jackson hit solo homers in the seventh inning and Radke pitched eight strong, homerless innings as the Twins beat the Milwaukee Brewers, 3-1, Wednesday night at Minneapolis.

Radke (4-4) tied for the major league lead by giving up 40 homers last season, the third-highest total in Twins history. He had given up eight in his first 11 starts, but this time, he watched Milwaukee’s Scott Karl give up the big hits.

“The long ball did it in for him tonight instead of me,” Radke said. “Lucky me, I guess.”

Radke gave up six hits, struck out five and didn’t walk a batter before letting the bullpen take over in the ninth.

“It’s an understatement to say we needed one of those games from our starter,” Twin Manager Tom Kelly said.

Karl (2-6) was the losing pitcher. The homer he surrendered to Coomer was not only Coomer’s fourth of the season, but also the fourth of his career against Karl in 17 at-bats.

Coomer, who has a .471 career average against Karl, can’t explain it.

“He throws the ball really well,” Coomer said. “He comes in hard, he goes away. It just seems like he makes his mistakes to me.”