Brewers down M’s in sloppy outing

Hold the alarms over Milwaukee ace Ben Sheets and Seattle star Felix Hernandez allowing nine runs in a combined 7 1/3 innings as the Brewers beat the Mariners 8-4 on Sunday at Peoria, Ariz.

Fly balls became home runs and defenders dropped pop-ups on a windy, cold day. The sun-baked infield continued to play extremely fast.

Raul Ibanez lofted a fly ball off Sheets in the first inning that had Ichiro Suzuki heading back to first base to tag up. The ball got into the wind and sailed over the left-center field wall for a two-run home run.

Seattle’s fourth and final run of the inning came after Brad Wilkerson’s ground ball rolled up the arm of first baseman Eric Munson. A single by Richie Sexson in the second went through the top of shortstop J.J. Hardy’s glove. Second baseman Rickie Weeks later dropped a pop fly.

“It’s hard to play down here,” Brewers manager Ned Yost said. “Everybody has trouble playing down here.”

Mariners manager John McLaren agreed. His concern was with how Hernandez, Seattle’s new No. 2 starter now that Erik Bedard has arrived to be the new ace, reacted to the conditions and their predictable results.

The 21-year-old entered the first truly inclement day of the month having allowed two runs in three starts. He then allowed three in the first inning – the final two on a home run by Corey Hart.

“I could tell he got a little frustrated out there,” McLaren said. “That’s part of growing up. It’s a work in progress.”

Hernandez allowed seven hits and five runs in 4 1/3 innings. He struck out five and walked one.

Clearing the bases

Josh Beckett will stay behind when the Boston Red Sox fly 7,500 miles to Tokyo on Wednesday for the regular-season opener against the Oakland Athletics, even though he threw Sunday for the first time in eight days since hurting his back. … Brady Clark swung and broke his bat in the third inning of the New York Mets’ 7-4 win over the Detroit Tigers, and the jagged barrel sailed down the line and speared Carlos Delgado on the outside of his right forearm, forcing him to leave the game. Delgado is expected to be out a couple of games. … The 39-year-old Hideo Nomo was informed in a meeting with Royals manager Trey Hillman that he will work as a reliever rather than a starter in his comeback attempt.