Gallardo will be Brewer starter for opener

• Milwaukee Brewers

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PHOENIX - Yovani Gallardo will be the Milwaukee Brewers’ Opening Day starter next Monday when they host Colorado.

It was generally assumed that the 24-year-old right-hander would get the nod. But Brewers’ manager Ken Macha didn’t make it official until yesterday, saying he didn’t want to back-track in the event that Gallardo got hurt at spring training – which he didn’t.

Gallardo says he’s excited and honored to start the season opener in front of his home fans. Macha said he pitched a lot of good games last year when he didn’t get much run support, and he handled it well. Gallardo went 13-and-12 in 2009 with a three-point-seven-three ERA. Randy Wolf, Doug Davis, and Dave Bush will be the second, third, and fourth starters for Milwaukee.

Macha says he won’t name a fifth starter right away, because he probably won’t need one for at least two weeks. Left-handers Manny Parra and Chris Narveson will both pitch today in an exhibition against the Angels of Anaheim. Macha is not sure what will happen with the Brewers’ other starter, Jeff Suppan. Some kind of roster move has been rumored for the veteran Suppan. Macha says it could happen any time – and he couldn’t say what it might be.

The Brewers lost to San Francisco 8-6 yesterday in a spring training contest in Phoenix. Milwaukee only had two hits before Rickie Weeks homered in the sixth inning. Giants’ left-hander Jonathan Sanchez struck out 11 in six frames – and he got a warning after he hit Prince Fielder with a pitch in the fourth. Brewers’ starter Dave Bush had his first rough outing of the spring, giving up seven runs on eight hits in six innings. The Giants improved to 20-9 in the Cactus League, while Milwaukee fell to 13-13-1. Left-fielder Ryan Braun missed his third straight game with the tight back that has bothered him throughout his career. He said he would have played had it been a regular season contest. Also, catcher Gregg Zaun sat out with a minor quadriceps injury.

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