Morneau sits, Mauer at DH after long game

MINNEAPOLIS -- After a 14-inning game that lasted nearly five hours in Milwaukee on Tuesday night, Joe Mauer started at designated hitter while Justin Morneau was held out of the starting lineup against the Brewers on Wednesday.

Mauer, who caught all 14 innings, insisted on being in the starting lineup and made his 13th start of the year at DH. Mauer acknowledged that he had been getting beat up behind the plate on foul tips recently but said he felt good enough to play.

Mauer will also receive a new helmet made by Rawlings on Thursday that will offer him extra protection after he took several foul tips to the facemask.

"I feel probably like a lot of other guys in this clubhouse," Mauer said. "But it was nice to get the win, because it made the plane ride a lot better. So a little sore but here we are back at it again."

Morneau, meanwhile, started the game on the bench for just the second time this year and for the first time since April 27 against the Rangers.

"He was swinging a lead bat at the end of the game there," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "He was sore. And he was sore the day before that, too, and in Detroit. But he wanted to play through it. But after last night's game, I wanted to give him a break."