PHOENIX (AP)—Ben Sheets took a big step forward in his slow recovery from offseason back surgery.
Sheets made his spring debut and pitched a scoreless inning in the Milwaukee Brewers’ 6-4 loss to the Kansas City Royals on Thursday. Scheduled to throw one inning or 25 pitches, Sheets needed just 12 pitches to retire the side in the first.
After striking out leadoff man Aaron Guiel, he hit Angel Berroa with the first pitch, struck out Terrence Long and then got first baseman Ken Harvey on a first-pitch groundout.
“My back felt good,” Sheets said. “I wasn’t even thinking about it. I located the ball well. That was good to see.”
Sheets, a 26-year-old right-hander, established himself as one of the premier pitchers in the National League last season. He set personal bests for victories (12), earned run average (2.74), innings (237) and strikeouts (264, a franchise record).
Right-hander Wes Obermueller, who is vying for a spot on Milwaukee’s pitching staff, gave up a base hit to Mark Teahen, who scored on a double by Ruben Gotay.
The Brewers scored four runs in the second inning against veteran right-hander Kevin Appier.
Carlos Lee and Damian Miller walked, then Jeff Cirillo singled to load the bases. Rookie shortstop J.J. Hardy hit a two-run double to left.
Rookie center fielder David Krynzel had a two-run single to right to put Milwaukee ahead 4-1.
Kansas City tied the game with three runs in the sixth against left-hander Tommy Phelps.
Alberto Castillo’s RBI double brought the Royals to 4-3 and Guiel drove in the tying run with a single off left-hander Rigo Beltran.
The Royals broke the tie in the ninth, capitalizing on Emil Brown’s run-scoring single and a bases-loaded error by Matt Erickson to score two runs off lefty Dana Eveland.
Kansas City, which has won two in a row after losing five straight, had 15 hits and left 15 men on base.
The Brewers, who have lost four in a row after opening the spring 5-0, had three hits, none after the second inning.
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