PHOENIX -- Top Brewers prospect Lewis Brinson hit a go-ahead home run in the eighth inning, but the White Sox found a fitting answer in the ninth, when their own top prospect, Yoan Moncada, drove a two-run double for a 4-3 win Friday at Maryvale Baseball Park.
Brinson's first-pitch, two-run shot off Chicago's Jace Frye was Brinson's second homer against the White Sox in three days, and it gave Milwaukee a 3-2 lead. The White Sox rallied in the ninth in Brewers right-hander Aaron Wilkerson's third inning of work, putting the first two runners aboard ahead of Moncada's double, just over Brinson's head in center field.
Moncada is the No. 2 prospect in baseball, according to MLBPipeline.com. Brinson is No. 18.
For Chicago, Jose Abreu hit a two-out, two-run single in the third inning to back right-handed Sox starter Reynaldo Lopez, another top prospect who surrendered only one hit and one walk in 4 1/3 scoreless innings in his second straight effective start. Lopez ranks fourth on Chicago's prospect list, and No. 46 in all of baseball.
The walk belonged to Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun, who struck out in the first inning and drew a free pass in the fourth against Lopez while making his spring debut.
"I thought he was really good. I mean, really good stuff," Braun said. "Commanded the fastball, changeup, curveball and a slider. He commanded both sides of the plate. Really, an explosive fastball. I was impressed. It's early for a guy to be hitting his spots like that."
The Brewers put the winning runner on base in the bottom of the ninth inning before an abrupt ending. Art Charles, a Minor League Rule 5 Draft pick who had homered in the seventh for MIlwaukee's first run, was called out when umpire John Tumpane ruled interference on a foul pop along the third-base side. White Sox pitcher Brian Clark then picked off Brewers Minor Leaguer Max McDowell at first base to end the game.
The teams won't meet again this spring until March 31 and April 1 at Miller Park for a pair of exhibitions.
Brewers Up Next: Braun is expected back in the starting lineup when the Brewers host the Padres on Saturday in the second meeting between the teams in the span of three days. Braun struck out and worked a walk in his spring debut on Friday. Matt Garza will start for Milwaukee in the 2:05 p.m. CT game, which will air on FS Wisconsin and the Brewers Radio Network.
White Sox Up Next:James Shields is scheduled to throw a simulated game back at Camelback Ranch on Saturday, so Dylan Covey gets another start in a 2:05 p.m. CT first pitch on MLB.TV and Gameday Audio in Surprise, Ariz., against the Rangers. Aaron Bummer, Juan Minaya and Chris Beck also are scheduled to throw.
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