Twins snap 7-game road skid, remember Minnesota son Prince

MILWAUKEE (AP) The Minnesota Twins finally won a game on the road this season.

They'll remember the 8-1 victory Thursday over the Milwaukee Brewers for other reasons, too.

After snapping a season-opening, seven-game road losing streak, the Twins had classic songs by pop superstar Prince blaring over the audio system in the visiting Miller Park clubhouse. ''Little Red Corvette'' played on a loop before someone switched the track to ''Purple Rain.''

Word of Prince's death in a studio compound in a Minneapolis suburb, filtered through the Miller Park press box just before the Thursday afternoon matinee. In the stands, one fan in box seats behind the Brewers clubhouse held up a picture - hastily drawn on a large piece of cardboard - of the symbol that Prince used on albums.

''Twins win. This one is for Prince!! Little Red Corvette blaring in clubhouse. (hash)ripprince,'' second baseman Brian Dozier posted on Twitter.

Dozier and Miguel Sano hit solo homers, while Ricky Nolasco struck out seven and allowed five hits over six-plus innings. The Twins were the only winless road team in the majors entering the afternoon.

They ended a home-and-home, four-game interleague series with the Brewers on a high note.

Minnesota could only muster a 3-1 lead against erratic Brewers starter Taylor Jungmann (0-3) before scoring five runs in the final three innings.

''It wasn't like that for the majority of the game,'' manager Paul Molitor said. ''We kept extending the lead so you have to feel good about that. It starts with your starting pitcher.''

Nolasco (1-0) allowed an RBI double to Ryan Braun in the first before settling down and retiring 16 of the next 18 Brewers hitters.

''Great curveball, great slider,'' Braun said. ''For the most part, he was able to locate both pitches, wherever he wanted, whenever he wanted.''

REMEMBERING PRINCE

Back at Target Field, the Twins remembered Prince by lighting smaller video boards and ribbons with Prince's signature color purple. A picture on the Twins' Twitter account showed the larger outfield scoreboard with a picture of the artist and message that read ''Good night sweet Prince. 1958-2016.''

At Miller Park, the Brewers played Prince's classic ''Let's Go Crazy'' during the break before the seventh inning. ''Purple Rain'' was played as the Twins walked out for postgame congratulatory handshakes.

''He means a lot to a lot of people around the world, not just in Minnesota. I think we all listened to `Purple Rain,' we all saw the movie,'' Molitor said.

The skipper also said that ''Little Red Corvette'' was the team's theme song last year. Veterans on the club make rookies know the words.

STARTER STRUGGLES

Jungmann struggled for the Brewers, allowing a career-high six walks, four hits and three runs over four-plus innings. Minnesota never trailed after loading the bases in the top of the first and scoring two runs on Rosario's infield single and Eduardo Escobar's groundout.

For Milwaukee, Jungmann labored through another start. The right-hander's ERA stands at 8.47 after losing his third straight decision.

He said he's working on his mechanics.

''Every year you go through spurts like this. It's being able to weather the storm and getting back on track,'' he said

TRAINER'S ROOM

Twins: OF Danny Santana, on the disabled list since April 9 with a strained right hamstring, will start a rehab assignment on Friday at Class-A Fort Myers. Molitor said Santana would play a game apiece in right, center and third base. ... C Kurt Suzuki felt some numbness in his face after getting hit by a foul ball on Wednesday night, but answered all the concussion protocol questions. Suzuki got the day off Thursday, with John Ryan Murphy starting behind the plate.

Brewers: Manager Craig Counsell said that LH reliever Will Smith (left knee) will start jogging soon, while RH pitchers Matt Garza (right lat) and Corey Knebel (left oblique) are all ''progressing the right way.'' They started the season on the 15-day disabled list.

UP NEXT

Twins: Kyle Gibson (0-2) gets the start when Minnesota opens a three-game interleague series in Washington. It will be Gibson's first career start against the NL East-leading Nationals.

Brewers: Zach Davies (0-1) makes his second start of the season when Milwaukee opens a three-game set against the visiting Philadelphia Phillies. Davies got shelled on Sunday for six runs on eight hits in a 9-3 loss at Pittsburgh.

---

Follow Genaro Armas at http://twitter.com/GArmasAP