Greinke sharp in home opener, help Brewers win 4-3

• Milwaukee Brewers

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MILWAUKEE - Zack Greinke won his first game as a Milwaukee Brewer, as the Crew held off San Diego 4-3 last night at Miller Park.

The right-hander struck out nine batters in six innings of his home debut, giving up two runs on five hits without walking anybody. Greinke is now 1-1. The Padres threatened to take the lead in the eighth when Brewers’ shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt made a highlight-reel defensive play. San Diego had runners at the corners with nobody out when Jason Bartlett grounded up the middle. Betancourt hustled to his left, scooped up the ball, and made a backhand flip to Rickie Weeks to get the first out at second base. And then Weeks quickly fired to first for a double-play. A run scored, cutting Milwaukee’s lead to one. John Axford protected it in the ninth for his sixth save. Weeks went 2-for-4 with a solo homer for the Brewers. Jonathan Lucroy went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored, and Prince Fielder doubled in four trips. Chase Headley drove in San Diego’s other run, as he and Fielder both celebrated their 27th birthdays. Mat Latos took the loss, dropping to 0-5. He gave up four runs in five-and-two-thirds innings, and has not won since last September seventh.

Just over 27,000 showed up for Greinke’s home debut – about three-thousand short of what the Brewers were hoping to attract. Milwaukee’s victory was only the second in their last 10 ballgames, and they improved to 9-5 at home. They’ll host San Diego again tonight. Right-hander Shaun Marcum faces Padres’ southpaw Clayton Richard.

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Brewers’ utility player Erick Almonte has been cleared for light workouts, as he continues to deal with a concussion suffered April 26th. Almonte was the first big leaguer to be named to the new seven-day DL for concussions. That was after he got hit above his right eye by a ball thrown at batting practice. He was standing on first base talking to a teammate at the time. Almonte said he had nausea as recently as last week, as well as sensitivity to light. But he said if the ball was two inches lower, he could have lost his eye – which is what happened to Atlanta minor league manager Luis Salazar when a line drive struck him during a spring training game.

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