• 
• CLASS
• JOBS
• AUTO
• HOMES

Bush sharp for Brewers in outing against Angels

TEMPE, Ariz. — David Bush appears ready to take a spot at the front of the Milwaukee Brewers' rotation.

Bush retired 15 of his first 16 batters Saturday in a 4-4, 10-inning tie against the Los Angeles Angels.

He allowed one hit in six innings, giving up a pair of runs in the sixth despite failing to allow a hit.

"Bush was excellent," Brewers manager Ken Macha said. "He got out there and got his innings in."

Bush went 9-10 with a 4.18 ERA in 28 starts and three relief appearances last year. Opportunities opened when CC Sabathia and Ben Sheets became free agents. He got into trouble in the sixth when he walked one batter, hit another, threw a wild pitch and gave up a sacrifice fly.

"One of the things I like at this point is innings, more so than pitches, just getting up and down," Bush said.

Angels starter Nick Adenhart gave up one run and four hits in five innings, striking out six.

"He's much further than he was at this point last year — even in spring training, when his numbers were good but he wasn't as crisp as we felt he needed to be," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "He's taking a lot of steps forward."

Adenhart went 1-0 with a 9.00 ERA in three starts with the Angels last season.

"It was one of the better (starts) in the spring so far," Adenhart said. "There haven't been too many."

Adenhart allowed four earned runs in 3 1-3 innings against San Francisco on March 16. He's among four candidates for two spots in the rotation that are vacant until Kelvim Escobar and Ervin Santana return from injuries.

"He felt last season was a half-step backward," Scioscia said. "He's taking that challenge, and he's really impressing us this spring. There are some things he needed to clean up and he's worked hard on it."

The Angels' Vladimir Guerrero went 0-for-3 and played right field for six innings, one day after making his first start of spring training. Guerrero, coming off offseason left knee surgery, said through an interpreter that his knee wasn't swelling and felt better than during the previous two seasons.