Brewers Pound Indians as Nomo Wins Another

Maybe the Cleveland Indians should have consulted with Omar Vizquel and pursued Hideo Nomo a little harder.

Nomo, who never got past an audition with the Indians in April, pitched seven innings and Dave Nilsson homered twice Thursday night, powering the Milwaukee Brewers to a 15-9 victory over the Indians at Cleveland.

Nomo (3-1) didn’t do anything special to beat the Indians, giving up five runs and eight hits. But he pitched out of trouble, and the Brewers gave him the kind of run support he may have gotten in each start if he had signed with Cleveland.

“His motion is really funky,” said Vizquel, the only Indian player to strike out twice against Nomo. “It was really hard to pick up the ball. I don’t know what he does. He hides the ball and then, poof, there it is.”

Nomo, released by both the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs this year, worked out for Indian Manager Mike Hargrove and pitching coach Phil Regan in Oakland during the last week in April. But before the former Dodger could pitch in a simulated game for the Indians, he announced he was signing with the Brewers.

“I didn’t have a chance to be a starting pitcher [with Cleveland],” Nomo said. “The Indians had five starters. That doesn’t mean they refused me.”

Before the game, Hargrove said the Indians didn’t see enough of Nomo the first time to make a complete evaluation. He stuck with that during his postgame remarks.

“I saw a little bit of velocity,” he said. “But nothing special.”

Nilsson hit a three-run homer and a solo shot for the Brewers, who took two of three from the Indians in the interleague series. Geoff Jenkins had a three-run homer, one of three Milwaukee homers in the fourth inning that chased Bartolo Colon (6-3).

San Diego 2, Oakland 1--The Padres scored two unearned runs on a second-inning error, Sterling Hitchcock survived a shaky sixth inning to win for the first time since May 9, and Trevor Hoffman got his 200th save in the game at San Diego.

Hitchcock (4-5) held the Athletics to one run and four hits in seven innings. He struck out four and walked two.

Hoffman pitched a perfect ninth, striking out the side, for his 12th save. He is the 25th major leaguer to reach the 200-save mark. Hoffman matched the National League record with 53 saves last season.