The Arizona Diamondbacks fell 6-2 to the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Fields of Phoenix on Friday in spring training play. Despite Manuel Pena's 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI effort at the plate, the Diamondbacks could not overcome a sizable deficit. Mitch Bratt worked 2.2 innings on the mound, allowing 1 earned run on 1 hit. Both clubs finished with 8 hits apiece in a closely contested battle. The Diamondbacks will look to regroup as spring training rolls on. There is still time to work through the rough patches before the regular season arrives, and the coaching staff will use today's performance as a learning opportunity.
Key Performers
Manuel Pena was the offensive highlight at the plate, going 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI. The long ball provided a major boost to the offensive attack. It was the kind of day at the plate that suggests good things ahead for the Diamondbacks offense.
Gavin Conticello also contributed, going 2-for-3, Demetrio Crisantes chipped in, going 2-for-3 with a double, and Jacob Amaya added to the attack, going 1-for-4. Despite the individual efforts, the offense could not generate enough sustained production.
On the other side of the diamond, Mike Boeve led the Brewers offense with a 1-for-1 with a home run and two RBI day. Jesús Made also contributed, going 2-for-4 with an RBI. Eric Bitonti added a 1-for-1 with an RBI effort as well. The Brewers offense proved to be too much for the Diamondbacks pitching staff to contain on this particular day.
On the Mound
Mitch Bratt got the start, having a rough go of it, working 2.2 innings while allowing 1 earned run on 1 hit with two strikeouts. He threw 52 pitches in the outing. His outing provided the coaching staff with another data point as rotation and bullpen decisions loom.
The bullpen combined for 5.1 innings of work, allowing 5 earned runs while striking out six. The relief corps kept the game within reach after the starter departed. Managing the bullpen workload is a key priority during the spring, and every outing helps the coaching staff gauge who is ready for high-leverage situations.
Among the relievers, Bryce Jarvis stood out with 2.0 innings of scoreless work, striking out two. The outing gave the coaching staff confidence in his ability to contribute this season.
How It Happened
The Diamondbacks struck first, pushing across a run in the first inning. Brewers struck back with a run in the first. The Diamondbacks answered with a run in the second. Brewers responded with two runs in the sixth. Brewers pushed across two runs in the seventh. Brewers plated a run in the eighth. The Brewers were able to score in four separate innings, keeping the pressure on throughout the contest. Both teams finished with 8 hits apiece, with 3 errors committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 4,908 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
The Diamondbacks will regroup and get back to work in their next outing. While the final score was not in their favor, the exhibition season is about building toward the regular season, and this game provided useful reps for a roster still taking shape. The coaching staff will review the performance and make adjustments before the next time out.