PHOENIX (AP) - Jason Bourgeois had a double and a home run and drove in two runs as the Cincinnati Reds split squad beat the Milwaukee Brewers 8-2 on Thursday.
Michael Lorenzen pitched four scoreless innings after three Reds pitchers threw an inning each to begin the game. Juan Duran added a two-run homer for Cincinnati, who had 14 hits.
Ryan Braun had an RBI double in the first and Hunter Morris added a solo homer in the eighth, his first of the spring.
“Hunter needed that and we needed to see that from him,” Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke said of Morris, who had three hits in 18 at-bats in the spring. “
Kyle Lohse tuned up for his start against the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday, allowing five hits and two runs in five innings.
Milwaukee will play two exhibition games against the Kansas City Royals at Miller Park on Friday and Saturday.
Yovanni Gallardo will make his fifth opening day start for the Brewers against the Braves on Monday. Only Ben Sheets had made more (six) in franchise history, and Gallardo will set a franchise mark with his fifth straight start on opening day.
It’s getting to the point where the guys want to go and get this going,” Roenicke said. “I think the two (exhibition) games at home before we start are important. I like that and I’m glad teams are willing to come in and play.”
STARTING TIME
Reds: Cincinnati handled the pitching by committee on Thursday, with five of the six pitchers tossing 1 1/3 innings or less. Lorenzen was the lone exceptions and despite a lot of wildness - he allowed three hits and walked five batters including four of the first seven he faced - he escaped without allowing a run in four innings.
Brewers: Lohse, who is 41-21 with a 3.19 ERA over the last three seasons, was very happy with his results this spring and struck out four in his last outing.
“I felt really good, executed most of the pitches I wanted to and left here on a good note,” he said. “I had a good feel for the breaking ball, spotted the fastball pretty good.”
LOCKING IN
As expected, Roenicke selected Khris Davis as the starting left fielder to play alongside Carlos Gomes and Ryan Braun. Davis hit .250 and led the Brewers with four home runs this spring. He also struck out 15 times in 56 at-bats, second to Lyle Overbay (16 strikeouts in 43 at-bats) this spring. Logan Schafer, who hit .340 this spring and had a leadoff double Thursday, will be the fourth outfielder.
Roenicke has yet to make a decision between Overbay and Mark Reynolds at first base and Scooter Gennett and Richie Weeks at second. Weeks have been far more productive at the plate this spring, hitting .278 with a .458 on-base percentage compared to .236 and .276 for Gennett.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Milwaukee shortstop Juan Segura sat out his eighth straight game with a sore shoulder but was able to do some extended throwing on Thursday. He went 1-for-4 in a minor league game as a designated hitter.
“(Friday) will be in terms of seeing where he is,” Roenicke said. “He was able to throw harder today and still felt it a little bit, but it’s almost gone and we’re hoping tomorrow it’s gone. Then we’ll see. We want it to be at the point where the doctors feel he’s not going to hurt himself if he goes back out there.”
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