Brewers drop Cactus League opener to Padres, Jacob Nottingham sustains hand injury

Box Score

There was a baseball game today! After spring started with a rain out, the Milwaukee Brewers officially began their chase for the Cactus Cup this afternoon against the San Diego Padres. Brett Anderson toed the slab and struck out the first batter that he faced, but then allowed consecutive singles. A catcher’s interference by new backstop Omar Narvaez loaded the bases, then Anderson forced home the game’s first run with a base on balls to Gordon Beckham. A groundout scored a second run for the visitors before Anderson escaped the first with another punchout and no further damage.

Korean import Josh Lindblom allowed a single, hit a batter, and let a man score on a wild pitch during his lone inning of action in the second. Adrian Houser (2 K, BB), Eric Lauer (2 K), Brent Suter (K), Ray Black (2 K), and Justin Grimm (K, 2 BB) all threw scoreless, hitless frames before a pair of prospects allowed the game to get away in the late innings. Devin Williams walked a batter, allowed a single and then a double that scored two runs during his eighth inning. Homestate hurler JP Feyereisen got hit around a bit in the ninth, allowing a pair of singles and a pair of doubles while yielding another two runs in the ninth. That accounts for all seven of San Diego’s runs.

On offense, the Brewers didn’t make much noise. They recorded only three hits — a single by left fielder Jace Peterson, and solo home runs by utilityman Ronny Rodriguez and prospect Chad Spanberger. Narvaez drew a walk and was the only other batter to reach base during the game. The first injury of spring also occurred, as Jacob Nottingham got hit in the hand in the ninth inning and went off for x-rays after the conclusion of the contest. Test results are unlikely to be known until tomorrow.

UPDATE:

It appears Jacob Nottingham will be okay.