Camp report: Jacob Nottingham injured as Brewers drop Cactus League opener to the Padres

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

On the field: It was mostly a day to forget for the Brewers, who fell to the San Diego Padres, 7-2, in the teams' Cactus League opener at American Family Fields of Phoenix on Sunday.

Homers by Ronny Rodriguez and minor-leaguer Chad Spanberger were the lone offensive highlights for Milwaukee, which managed a meager three hits.

Then, to make matters worse, catcher Jacob Nottingham had to be removed from the game after being drilled in the right hand by a pitch in the ninth inning.

Manager Craig Counsell didn't have any additional information about Nottingham afterward, but liked some of what he saw from his pitchers. Brett Anderson started, and he was followed by rotation mates Josh Lindblom, Adrian Houser and Eric Lauer.

"Brett kept the ball on the ground, which is what he's supposed to do," Counsell said. "I think they all just wanted to get out there then get back out there again in three days.

"I thought Lauer threw some good breaking balls that he’s been working on. Ray Black got a ton of strikes and a lot of swing-and-miss with his fastball."

Weather: Partly cloudy, 59 degrees.

Scoreboard: Padres 7, Brewers 2. Monday: Brewers vs. Angels, 2:05 p.m. Milwaukee RHP Brandon Woodruff vs. LAA LHP Dillon Peters. TV: FS Wisconsin (Angels broadcast). Radio: FM-94.5. Brewers at A's, 2:05 p.m. Milwaukee RHP Corbin Burnes vs. Oakland LHP Sean Manaea. No broadcast.

Cactus juice: Brock Holt is one of very few players on the Brewers who uses an ax-handle bat. He gave away all but one of his to fans after the final game of the 2019 season at Fenway Park, and leading up to his signing with the Brewers he realized he'd need a few more.

He quickly rectified that by calling his former Boston teammate Mookie Betts, who is now training in nearby Glendale after being traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The two use the same Victus model, so Betts invited Holt over once he arrived in Arizona and gave him five of his to get going.

Holt was putting a grip on a brand-new smoke grey Betts model in the clubhouse Sunday morning.

"I use his model, so same size, same everything," Holt said. "It ended up working out."

Holt is training in Arizona for the first time after spending all his previous spring trainings in Florida with Boston, so he plans to move in with former Red Sox teammate Joe Kelly -- now with the Dodgers like Betts -- and his wife at some point soon.

Countdown: 31 days until the Brewers’ season opener on March 26 vs. the Chicago Cubs at Miller Park.

BOX SCORE: Padres 7, Brewers 2