Brewers don't feel desperate despite early struggles

Brewers don't feel desperate despite early struggles

Published Apr. 8, 2015 12:59 a.m. ET

MILWAUKEE -- The Milwaukee Brewers are proving that spring training numbers don't hold a lot of value once the regular season gets underway.

Instead of carrying over the offensive success they had in spring training, the Brewers have brought their hitting woes from the end of 2014 over to the start of 2015.

Milwaukee has scored in just one of 18 innings after a 5-2 loss to the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday at Miller Park.

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"It wasn't just the averages that were all good, but it was the quality at-bats that we had," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said. "I really expected us to come in and swing well. It surprises me that we're not."

It also isn't as if the Brewers have faced top-of-the-line starting pitching, either. In Kyle Kendrick and Jordan Lyles, Colorado has run out starters who had ERAs of 4.61 and 4.33 last season.

With a 4.84 team ERA, the Rockies were the worst pitching team in baseball in 2014.

"None of us in here are pressing," Brewers second baseman Scooter Gennett said. "We're just gradually getting back to what we do. I think (Wednesday) we'll go in and have a good day."

A day after Kendrick and two relievers combined on a shutout, Lyles allowed just two runs on five hits in six innings.

Milwaukee finally snapped its 13-inning scoreless streak in the fifth. Gerardo Parra led off with a double, while a hit by pitch and an infield single by Gennett loaded the bases.

Roenicke opted to pinch hit for starter Matt Garza with Logan Schafer, who hit into a double play.

"That's a spot where you hope you can pick up three or four and get right back in the game," Roenicke said. "It was a close play at first base, but they got us."

Carlos Gomez followed with a run-scoring double to cut Milwaukee's deficit to 4-2, but that's as close as the Brewers would get.

Lyles and relievers Boone Logan, Adam Ottavino and LaTroy Hawkins retired 13 of the next 14 Brewers batters to end the game. A two-out single by Khris Davis in the ninth was Milwaukee's only baserunner after the fifth inning.

"It's baseball. It happens," Schafer said. "Obviously we have been swinging the bats well leading into these two games. You go through one or two of these, and that's fine. Some of us have been hitting some of the balls well. They've positioned themselves well. You just wake up and do it again tomorrow."

Not only have 12 of Milwaukee's 14 hits been singles, but it has walked just once and struck out 16 times in two games.

The opposite is true of the Rockies. Colorado has already hit 12 doubles, which ties the 1912 New York Giants for the most two-baggers through two games.

Troy Tulowitzki, Nolan Arenado and Corey Dickerson all doubled in Colorado's three-run fourth inning off Garza, while Carlos Gonzalez doubled and scored on a Tulowitzki single in the fifth.

The Rockies were on his pitches enough to leave Garza questioning whether he was tipping what he was throwing.

"There was a questionable at-bat where I had Dickerson 0-2 and he slides up on the plate as the pitch is called," Garza said. "Maybe they had something, maybe they don't. They are locked in. There's nothing you can do. My breaking stuff wasn't as sharp today. I don't know why. I kind of put myself behind the eight ball. I was able to pitch out of some jams, but that fourth inning killed me.

"We went in and changed some things up and they were still on it. So we don't know where it is coming from. But that is neither here nor there. You can know what's coming and still not hit it. They are pretty locked in over there. You just tip your cap.

"It wasn't a great day, but it wasn't a bad day. It was one of those you want to kick yourself in the teeth type of days."

Surviving a scare: After losing right fielder Ryan Braun to injury on Opening Day, the Brewers nearly suffered a significant blow Tuesday night.

Segura was drilled in the head by a 1-0 pitch from Lyles in the fifth inning. Rockies catcher Nick Hundley immediately signaled for help, leaving many in the ballpark flashing back to when Brewers right-hander Mike Fiers hit Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton in the face last season.

But the 80 mph changeup caught the visor of Segura's batting helmet before striking his nose.

"I thought my nose was broken," Segura said. "When I was in the dirt I asked the trainer if I was bleeding because I felt like it was broke.

"It felt painful in my nose. The trainer said, 'No, you are not bleeding.' I just thanked God. That's something you can't control. Thank God it is nothing serious."

Segura remained down for a significant amount of time before he popped up and walked to first base. Brewers head athletic trainer Dan Wright checked the 25-year-old out before allowing him to stay in the game.

"When he's down and not moving, you are not sure," Roenicke said. "It is huge to not lose him, but he stayed in the ballgame. Seggy is a big part. He's playing nice defense, and I think he's going to hit."

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