Brewers open 2026 Cactus League schedule with 9-6 loss as ABS challenges debut in Phoenix
Spring opener features early Milwaukee offense, late Cleveland power
The Milwaukee Brewers opened their 2026 Cactus League schedule on Saturday, Feb. 21, falling 9-6 to the Cleveland Guardians at American Family Fields of Phoenix. The game served as the first extended look at a reshaped spring roster environment: heavy pitcher usage, broad defensive substitutions, and the continuing rollout of the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) Challenge System.
Milwaukee struck first and briefly controlled early innings. Brice Turang ignited the opening frame with a single, a stolen base, and a trip to third base before scoring on a sacrifice fly. In the second inning, Brandon Lockridge added an early benchmark for camp by hitting the club’s first home run of the spring, a long drive to left field that pushed the lead to 2-0.
ABS Challenge System appears early in game flow
One of the day’s notable sequences came immediately after Lockridge’s homer, when a plate appearance ended following an ABS challenge that overturned a ball call into a strike, producing a strikeout. The system keeps the home-plate umpire calling balls and strikes, while allowing eligible players to request a near-immediate challenge that is resolved using tracking technology and displayed in-venue and on broadcasts.
Guardians’ three-run homers swing the middle innings
After Milwaukee’s early advantage, Cleveland’s offense turned the game with power. Nolan Jones hit a three-run home run in the fifth inning to move the Guardians in front, and catcher Cooper Ingle followed with another three-run homer in the sixth, creating separation on a day when both clubs rotated extensively through pitchers and position players.
The Brewers did have a counterpunch in the fourth. With runners in scoring position, David Hamilton delivered a two-run double that restored a 4-3 Milwaukee lead at the time. Later, the Brewers narrowed the deficit again in the eighth on a two-run single, setting up a ninth inning in which they drew two walks and brought the tying run to the plate before Cleveland closed out the game.
Roster management takes center stage in first outing
Spring training openers are as much about evaluation as outcomes, and Milwaukee’s pitching plan reflected that. The Brewers used 10 pitchers, with multiple scoreless innings mixed into a day that also included key run-scoring swings. Offensively, Jackson Chourio went 2-for-3, continuing an early-camp trend of consistent contact, while Lockridge finished with two hits, two runs scored, and the home run.
Final score: Guardians 9, Brewers 6 (Feb. 21, Phoenix).
Key swings: three-run homers by Nolan Jones and Cooper Ingle.
Notable Milwaukee hitters: Brandon Lockridge (HR), Jackson Chourio (two hits), David Hamilton (two-run double).
The ABS Challenge System allows the batter, pitcher, or catcher to challenge a ball/strike call immediately after the umpire’s decision.
Milwaukee continued spring play Sunday, Feb. 22, with split-squad action: a road game against the Chicago White Sox and a home game against the Kansas City Royals.