'Blue' tops 'White' in intrasquad game
Prince Fielder hit a long home run, but right-handed rookie Eric Arnett walked the first four batters he faced and was charged with a pair of runs as the Brewers lost to the Brewers in an intrasquad game at Maryvale Baseball Park on Wednesday.
Fielder homered off left-hander Chuck Lofgren in the bottom of the fourth inning in the five-inning affair, but Arnett gave those runs back in the top of the next inning. After the four walks tied the game at 1, center fielder Carlos Gomez saved Arnett with a diving catch in center field for the first out of the inning but Hernan Iribarren followed with a run-scoring groundout for a 2-1 “Blue Team” lead. With that, Arnett reached his pitch count and the inning was over.
Brewers manager Ken Macha attributed Arnett’s command to jitters. Unofficially, it was Arnett’s first appearance in a big league uniform.
“I remember in my first game getting jammed on a grounder to third and my heart was still beating 100 mph when I got to the locker room afterwards,” Macha said.
Dave Bush and Manny Parra started the game and pitched two scoreless innings apiece. Fielder’s homer was nothing new, but Macha was very impressed with the two at-bats put together by nonroster outfielder Jim Edmonds. Edmonds flew out both times.
The Brewers play their exhibition opener on Thursday afternoon at Scottsdale against the Giants. The game begins at 2 p.m. CT and will air in Wisconsin on the Brewers Radio Network. Jeff Suppan is scheduled to start for the Brewers against Barry Zito.
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Adam McCalvy
