Choi, Arcia deliver in the clutch
SAN DIEGO - Ji-Man Choi was not guaranteed remaining with the Milwaukee Brewers beyond opening day, but he made his presence known in a big way immediately.
Choi delivered a pinch-hit double with two down in the 12th inning and scored on a single by Orlando Arcia as the Brewers fought for a 2-1 victory Thursday over the San Diego Padres at Petco Park.
Choi was kept as an extra position player as the Brewers opted to open the season with only six relievers. They needed five to hold off the Padres, who tied the game with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.
The Brewers took a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the ninth and closer Corey Knebel was one out from sealing a victory when Freddy Galvis delivered a game-tying single to right. San Diego was in great position to pull out a victory when they loaded the bases with one out in the 11th against Jeremy Jeffress but Chase Headley grounded into a 52-3 double play.
Brewers starter Chase Anderson was brilliant in stifling the Padres for six innings, allowing only one hit — a fourthinning single by cleanup hitter Jose Pirela in the fourth — to go with three walks and six strikeouts. Anderson picked up right where he left off in his breakout 2017 season, which led to the opening-day assignment.
The Brewers scored just one run off Padres starter Clayton Richard and it came in the third inning after Anderson singled to center with two down. Lorenzo Cain, who collected three hits in his first game back with the Brewers, followed with a sharp single through the left side.
Christian Yelich, the other high-profile offensive pickup for the Brewers, blooped a hit to left and Anderson motored around third to score while banging his face on home plate. There was a chance for a bigger inning when Ryan Braun walked to load the bases but Richard retired Travis Shaw on a grounder to first.
FIVE TAKEAWAYS
SAFETY FIRST AT HOME: Anderson is paid to pitch, not run the bases, but he couldn’t have had a more horrible slide home in the third. Breaking from second base on a two-out bloop hit to left by Yelich, Anderson slid home ahead of the throw but bounced hard, rolled over and did a face plant right on the plate. He was shaken up and attended to by athletic trainer Dan Wright but remained in the game and continued to pitch well. Replays were painful to watch.
DEFENSE DOESN’T REST: The Brewers made several strong defensive plays behind Anderson to keep him in control during his six-inning stint. Shortstop Orlando Arcia, as always, showed great range in getting to grounders by Eric Hosmer in the fourth inning and Wil Myers in the sixth. Third baseman Shaw made a heck of a play in the fourth, running a long way in foul territory near the Brewers dugout to make a sliding catch of Carlos Asuaje’s pop-up.
BRAUN WILL BE OK AT FIRST: Braun expressed concern during spring training about being comfortable playing first base for the first time, especially learning all of the nuances of the position. But, if the first game was any indication, Braun is going to be fine when he starts at that position. He fielded short-hop throws as if he had been a first baseman all of his life, and in general, gave no indication of being a firsttimer.
ONLY LUCK WAS BAD: The Brewers managed to score just one run in seven innings Richard, who was 8-15 with a 4.79 ERA last season. It might have been different if not for some buzzard’s luck early. Braun hit into a double play in the first on a scorching grounder that third baseman Chase Headley managed to stab. Manny Pina grounded hard into another in the second inning, basically knocking down shortstop Freddy Galvis, who nevertheless started a DP.
WEAPON IN THE PEN: Manager Craig Counsell noted in spring training that with a weapon such as Hader in the bullpen, you want to use him as much as possible with games on the line. So, it was no surprise when he took over in the seventh with a 1-0 lead. Hader found some trouble with a walk and bunt single, but he did what he does best, striking out three hitters to put a zero on the board.