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Brewers’ Braun injures thumb in 6-5 loss to Padres

PEORIA, ARIZ. — Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun is day-to-day with a right thumb contusion after leaving in the second inning of Tuesday night’s game against the San Diego Padres.

The 2007 National League rookie of the year was struck by a first-inning line drive off the bat of the Padres’ Brian Giles when he lost the ball in the lights. X-rays of Braun’s thumb were taken but showed no significant damage.

Braden Looper, who has missed much of the spring with an oblique injury, allowed four runs, two earned, over four innings for Milwaukee. The right-hander is expected to start the season as the No. 4 starter in the Brewers’ rotation and should get the nod in the team’s April 10 home opener.

Braun, who drove in a run in his only at-bat, was making only his sixth Cactus League appearance after playing for the United States in the World Baseball Classic. Last season, he hit .285 with 37 homers and 106 RBIs.

Shawn Hill, making his first start for the Padres, allowed two runs on five hits over four innings of San Diego’s 6-5 win. The right-hander, who had season-ending elbow surgery last September, is a strong candidate for the fifth spot in the Padres’ rotation.

“There’s just enough (time) to get my pitch count up,” Hill said. “I won’t be able to go out and throw 120 pitches and go eight innings but hopefully I’ll be able to give five-to-six innings. ... I felt pretty good health-wise.”

Hill, who was 1-5 with a 6.83 ERA for Washington last year, threw 55 pitches. He hopes to reach 70 pitches when he starts in a minor league game in Arizona on Sunday or a simulated game with the Padres at Petco Park.