CAMP REPORT
On the field: In the final game before Maryvale Baseball Park undergoes nearly a year of rebuilding and renovation, the Brewers posted a rare 1-0 spring-training victory over the Kansas City Royals on Thursday afternoon.
A solo home run in the fourth inning by Brett Phillips — his second in three days — accounted for the lone tally.
Zach Davies (2-0) was solid in his penultimate spring start, allowing four hits and a walk with three strikeouts over five innings. He was efficient enough that he needed to throw extra pitches in the bullpen after the fifth to complete his outing. "He pitched well," said manager Craig Counsell. "Tons of strikes; kept pounding the strike zone. His curveball has taken a big step forward. He really trusts it and has a lot of confidence in it. His changeup was good. So, two of his off-speed pitches are doing really well."
J.J. Hoover, Oliver Drake and Nate Griep combined for four scoreless innings behind Davies as the Brewers won their 18th game of the spring — tops in the Cactus League.
Davies will make one final spring start, in the second of the Brewers' two-game exhibition series in Houston on March 27. Weather: 85 degrees, partly cloudy.
Cactus juice: Before the game, it was announced that Counsell was under the weather and bench coach Pat Murphy would replace him as manager.
That alignment lasted a whole half-inning as Counsell eventually reappeared in the dugout in the first inning, seemingly no worse for wear.
"Top of the first was beautiful," Counsell joked when asked how he'd rate Murphy's managerial skills.
For the record, Murphy went 42-54 as interim skipper of the San Diego Padres in 2015. He also managed for four-plus seasons in the minor leagues. Before that he was a college coach for 25 years, most notably at Notre Dame — where he coached Counsell — and Arizona State.
Scoreboard: Brewers 1, Royals 0. Record: 18-8-2. Friday: Brewers at Cubs, 3:05 p.m. Milwaukee RHP Brandon Woodruff (0-0, 7.04) vs. LHP Tyler Chatwood (3-0, 2.81). Webcast: Brewers.com.
Countdown: Six days until the Brewers season opener on March 29 in San Diego.