Gonzalez away another day; Brewers a man down

The Brewers played one man short on Tuesday, when shortstop Alex Gonzalez was reinstated from the paternity list but remained at home to care for his wife and newborn son.

Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said doctors decided to keep Johanna Gonzalez and her son in the hospital for one extra night, but that the matter was “nothing serious.” Johanna gave birth several days earlier than expected on Sunday, to a son named Alex David. He is the couple’s third child.

Infielder Eric Farris had filled-in for the Brewers on Saturday and Sunday, but Major League Baseball’s rules only allow a player to remain on the paternity list for a maximum of three days, so Farris was optioned back to Triple-A Nashville on Monday and Gonzalez was reinstated to the Brewers’ active roster.

That combination of moves left the Brewers with no backup infielders for Tuesday’s game against the Dodgers. Cesar Izturis made a third straight start at shortstop, and his emergency backup was center fielder Carlos Gomez, who grew up playing shortstop in the Dominican Republic and still takes grounders there before every game.

“That is my passion,” Gomez told MLB.com in 2010. “Some day, I am going to play one game in the big leagues at shortstop.”

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