MILWAUKEE — It was time to go. The ball was fleeing the bat, headed to the right-field corner. Rockies outfielder Ryan Spilborghs put his head down and ran toward second base when, inexplicably, Tuesday’s limitless possibilities disappeared into teeth-grinding pain.
Spilborghs should have scored on Yorvit Torrealba’s sixth-inning bases-loaded double. It would have been the equivalent of a nose job on CC Sabathia’s Picasso. Instead he left with a strained left oblique injury that forced him onto the disabled list. And Sabathia exited with a sweaty palms 7-3 victory in his Brewers debut.
Sabathia, 6-foot-7, 310 pounds — which is bigger than any lineman during the Broncos’ two Super Bowl wins — began with a 92-mph fastball to Willy Taveras and ended with a 95-mph heater to Brad Hawpe.
In between, he was effectively if not nervously wild, walking five.
But in the biggest moment, before the bullpen leaked again, the Rockies were poised to recycle Milwaukee’s Best. Matt Holliday extended his hitting streak to a season-high 12 games, followed by walks to Garrett Atkins and Spilborghs, leaving Sabathia on the edge of collapse despite a 4-1 lead.
Torrealba smoked a line drive down the right-field line that scored a pair of runs. Third-base coach Mike Gallego waved his right arm furiously for Spilborghs, who stopped with a cringe as held his left side.
Sabathia picked up the victory, working six innings. Mark Redman nearly matched him, his five-inning outing ruined by a three-run home run by Brewers slugger Ryan Braun.
