W: Matt Lindstrom (1-0)
L: Brandon Kintzler (0-1)
S: Felipe Paulino (1)
HR: Prince Fielder (3)
The worst thing that could have happened today would have been someone else getting hurt. That didn't happen, thankfully, but the second worst thing that could have happened did.
Wily Peralta, the odds on favorite to start on April 6, got absolutely lit up today. He recorded just one out, allowing five earned runs on five hits and two walks. Brewer pitchers limited the damage after that, though, as Tim Dillard (2.2 innings), Takashi Saito (1 inning) and Sean Green (2 innings) held the Rockies scoreless for 6.2 innings. Brandon Kintzler allowed four runs over 1.1 innings, but only one was earned.
Meanwhile, Rockies minor leaguer Greg Reynolds, who posted a 4.74 ERA between A and AA last season, retired the first six batters he faced and held the Brewers scoreless in the third before allowing six runs in the fourth and fifth, including Prince Fielder's third home run of the spring to take a 6-5 lead.
From there, Mat Gamel became the story. He played third base today for the first time all spring, and made two throwing errors on his first two opportunities. Two unearned runs scored after the first error to give the Rockies the lead in the seventh. Gamel did drive in a run in the top of the eighth to tie the game. Then he allowed another run to score with an error in the eighth. Both errors were errant throws.
Other notes from the game:
- Chris Dickerson was able to play left field today, his first action since leaving a game with a rib injury earlier this week.
- 12,497 people paid to see today's game at Salt River Fields. There are at least half a dozen major league teams that will struggle to draw that many fans for regular season games on weekdays in April.