Major League Baseball

Szczur homers for Cubs in win over Brewers

Published Mar. 14, 2015 8:25 p.m. ET

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PHOENIX (AP) Jonathan Lucroy made his spring debut Saturday and said he had no problems with a hamstring injury that had kept him out for four weeks and Adam Lind homered in just his second game, but the Milwaukee Brewers lost to a Chicago Cubs split squad 10-5.

''I had some pitches to block, a long inning and everything felt good,'' Lucroy said. ''No one ran, so I didn't get to try (my arm) out. I didn't let loose running, I didn't want to blow out (the hamstring) running out a routine ground ball. I ran after the game and there were no problems.''

Matt Szczur had two hits, including his third home run of the spring, for Chicago. Mike Olt, Wellington Castillo and Adron Chambers each had two RBIs in the Cubs' seven-run third.

Edwin Jackson allowed one hit in three innings for Chicago.

Jimmy Nelson allowed five runs and five hits in 2 2-3 innings.

''One real bad inning,'' Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke said. ''I liked the way Jimmy threw. He was down in the zone. But that one inning, everything they hit was perfectly placed. It wasn't line drives all over the park.''

Lind was out with back spasms for a week. He played his first game Thursday and was 2 for 3 Saturday, both as the designated hitter. Lucroy, the All-Star catcher, was hitless in one at-bat.

Also in camp for Milwaukee was All-Star closer Francisco Rodriguez, who finalized his two-year, $13 million contract Saturday morning.

STARTING TIME

Cubs: Jackson, who is 14-33 in the past two seasons with the Cubs, allowed only a single to Khris Davis in the second inning. Jackson struck out three and got Gerardo Parra to ground into a double play to end his day.

''It's all about consistency, being around the strike zone and hitting it,'' Jackson said. ''I'm getting pretty close. I have a couple of starts left. It's time to mix in some off-speed pitches and see what reactions you get from hitters.''

Brewers: Lucroy on Nelson: ''He really looked good. He made some mistakes up in the zone, but when he's down, he's a groundball guy,'' Lucroy said. ''His fastball was good and he threw some good curves and changes in the pen.''

RELIEF FOR BREWERS

Rodriguez arrived in Arizona Friday and passed his physical. He threw off the mound Saturday for the first time since last season and should be ready to pitch in a game within a week. Rodriguez said he turned down another offer with more guaranteed money to stay in Milwaukee.

''I already learned my lesson once and I didn't want to go through the experience I had before,'' said Rodriguez, who struggled in Baltimore in 2013 in between his two stints with Milwaukee. ''I've made a lot of money over my career, so it's not about money. It's about peace and feeling comfortable in a place. You can't buy peace.''

TRAINER'S ROOM

Brewers: Ryan Braun, who had been playing every other day, sat out Saturday after missing his normal start Friday with the flu. He will play Sunday in Maryvale against the Oakland A's. Braun is 0 for 7 in his return from offseason thumb surgery.

Cubs: The team doesn't expect LHP Tsuyoshi Wada's injury to be severe. He left Friday's start because of tightness in his left groin. He will be evaluated during the next couple of days. Wada had been bothered by discomfort in the same area during his previous outing.

UP NEXT

Cubs: Chicago will host the Cincinnati Reds in Mesa on Sunday with Trevor Wood making his third start of the spring.

Brewers: RHP Kyle Lohse will start in Maryvale against Oakland. Lohse will also bat for the first time. A split squad will face the Texas Rangers in Surprise with Taylor Jungmann pitching.

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