Final week of Spring Training begins for Brewers

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PHOENIX - The final week of Spring Training begins today for the Milwaukee Brewers. They’ll play the Arizona Diamondbacks in a Cactus League exhibition this afternoon.

Right-hander Zack Greinke will start for the Brew Crew against Arizona left-hander Wade Miley. Greinke has looked sharp this spring as he develops a new cut-fastball. He has no record, but his ERA is a stingy 0.73. Miley is 1-0 this spring with a three-point-two-seven ERA. It’s not known whether outfielder Norichika Aoki can play. He was scratched yesterday after his right hamstring tightened up. Manager Ron Roenicke says Aoki will be checked out today to see how he is. If Corey Hart’s knee is not ready for the start of the regular season, Aoki could be in the Opening Day lineup in right field. Aoki is batting .327 this spring with a homer, three triples, and eight RBI’s. Milwaukee is 10-13-2 in Cactus League play this month.

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Brewers’ reliever Juan Perez had a bullpen session this week, after he went to the hospital for a collapsed lung a couple weeks ago. Manager Ron Roenicke said Perez felt good, and he’s improving rapidly. The 33-year-old Perez was with Pittsburgh and Philadelphia for parts of three seasons, and is 1-1 in the Majors with a four-point-seven-nine ERA. He was a non-roster invitee to the Brewers’ Spring Training – and he tossed three-and-a-third scoreless innings before the lung problem. Roenicke says Perez could throw in an exhibition game in the coming week, depending on how well he does in another bullpen session that’s set for tomorrow.

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The Milwaukee Brewers lost a 9-7 exhibition slugfest to Kansas City yesterday. Yovani Gallardo gave up four runs in five innings – including homers to his former teammate Yuniesky Betancourt and Eric Hosmer. It was one of two homers on the day for Hosmer. Max Ramirez and Mike Moustakas also went yard for Kansas City. Mat Gamel homered for Milwaukee. And so did Alex Gonzalez in his first game back from a foot injury. Jonathan Lucroy had two hits for the Brew Crew. And he raised his spring batting average to .486 on the same day he signed a five-year, $11-million contract with the Brewers. Bruce Chen went six innings and gave up three runs on seven hits. Afterward, manager Ned Yost named Chen the Royals’ Opening Day starter on April 9th against the Angels. Brewers’ manager Ron Roenicke has not named his Opening Day starter yet. But Gallardo is expected to take the mound when the Brewers open at home against Saint Louis a week from Friday. Norichika Aoki missed yesterday’s game for Milwaukee with a tight right hamstring. Outfielder Carlos Gomez is still coming off a virus, and will get some at-bats in the minor league camp as early as today. The Brewers are now 10-13-2 in Cactus League play in Arizona. They’ll face the Arizona Diamondbacks this afternoon.

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