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Peralta picks up where he left off

After breakout season, right-hander posts impressive 2015 debut

MILWAUKEE -- Wily Peralta picked up right where he left off in his season debut for the Brewers.

The big right-hander, who won 17 games last year, allowed only two runs in seven innings in Milwaukee's 5-4 loss in 10 innings to the Rockies Wednesday.

"Wily threw the ball really well," manager Ron Roenicke said. "I thought he did a great job. Obviously we were against a team that is red-hot swinging the bat. He held them to two runs. That's a good job."

Peralta was two outs away from leaving the game with a lead, but he allowed a solo home run to Corey Dickerson that tied the game at 2 with one out in the seventh.

"I threw one mistake, on an 0-2 count I hung a slider," Peralta said. "When you have a one-run lead you cannot make a mistake. That's what happened."

Video: COL@MIL: Peralta makes barehanded snag for the out

Peralta went 17-11 with a 3.53 ERA in 32 starts last year, leading the team in wins, innings pitched (198 2/3) and strikeouts (154). He doesn't turn 26 until May 8 and is poised to build on his successful 2014.

The other run allowed by Peralta came on a two-out single by No. 8 hitter DJ LeMahieu with a runner on third and two outs in the fifth. LeMahieu's grounder was just outside the reach of Scooter Gennett's glove and went into right field.

"In that situation, you've got two outs and first base open, you don't want to give up one, especially to him," Peralta said.

Roenicke said the team considered walking LeMahieu.

"We talked about it, but in the situation where we were, you just hope the guy can make a pitch," Roenicke said. "LeMahieu's hitting the ball well. You look over the course of the season and he's hitting eighth probably because of the other guys, but he's hitting the ball well."

The Brewers are 0-3 with division-rival Pittsburgh coming to Miller Park for a three-game series.

"You don't want to start the season like this, you want to win the series, but there's a lot of games left," Roenicke said.

Joe DiGiovanni is a contributor to MLB.com.
Read More: Milwaukee Brewers, Wily Peralta