Associated Press
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.
Scooter Gennett hit his fourth homer in eight games and singled against Jorge De La Rosa, helping the Milwaukee Brewers to a 5-4 victory over a Colorado Rockies split-squad on Wednesday.
De La Rosa allowed four runs and four hits in three innings in his final tuneup before facing Arizona on opening day Monday. He walked four, one with the bases loaded.
“I pitched terrible (Wednesday),” De La Rosa said.
Not even facing a left-hander could slow Gennett in his return from a shoulder injury. The second baseman, who is a .124 career hitter against lefties, pulled a two-run homer to right in the second.
“It wasn’t a big sample, but he certainly had some good at-bats against (lefties) this spring,” Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said.
Colorado’s Nolan Arenado also continued his impressive spring. The third baseman crushed a two-run shot to left off Blaine Boyer for his sixth homer. He is hitting .566.
Ariel Pena, trying to earn the final spot in Milwaukee’s bullpen, started and allowed one run and three hits with two strikeouts in three innings.
Brewers: Pena, who made five starts for Milwaukee last season, walked one and threw 39 pitches.
Rockies: De La Rosa, who needed 68 pitches to get nine outs and had his ERA climb to 6.10, was asked what he needs to improve on before Monday.
“Everything,” he said.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Brewers: LF Ryan Braun, who played Tuesday after sitting out a week with soreness in his surgically repaired back, wasn’t in the lineup. But Braun is expected to play the next two days in Houston.
Rockies: Reliever Jason Motte has a shoulder strain that manager Walt Weiss says makes it “very possible” he’ll miss the season-opening series against Arizona. “He’ll be down for a little bit,” Weiss said.
NO IPAD PRO
Don’t expect to see Weiss holding an iPad in the dugout much during games, despite the deal announced by MLB that will give teams an advanced scouting app on the tablet.
“I don’t really have time to be going through information during a game,” Weiss said. “I’ve got a couple things that I go to, other than that, as a manager I’ve got to stay out in front of the game.”
It was the final game in Arizona for the Brewers, who will be play exhibitions in Houston and Biloxi, Mississippi, over the next three days before returning to Milwaukee for Monday’s opener against San Francisco.
Brewers: RHP Jimmy Nelson will start Thursday at Houston.
Rockies: Prospect Kyle Freeland will start Thursday against Arizona. RHP Chad Bettis will throw in a minor league game to avoid facing his Tuesday opponent.
