Buehrle sharp in final spring start

PHOENIX — Mark Buehrle wouldn't mind matching this outing during the regular season.

Buehrle allowed just 2 hits in 5 innings in the White Sox's 2-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.

“I wish I could have bottled it up so I could feel even half as good on Opening Day,” said Buehrle, who will be on the mound for his ninth season-opening start Friday when the White Sox play at Cleveland.

Most surprising to Buehrle were his 7 strikeouts, 5 more than he had in his 4 starts combined entering Sunday's game.

“It seems like I get ahead of guys and can get 2 strikes with the best of anybody,” Buehrle said. “I just don't have that put-away pitch.”

Only three Brewers reached base against Buehrle. Erick Almonte doubled in the fourth and was safe on an error in the fifth and Jeremy Reed led off the fourth with a single.

Brent Morel hit a 2-run double in the second off Marco Estrada. Estrada, who came over from the minor-league camp to start for the second time, allowed 2 runs on 7 hits and a walk. He struck out four.

Estrada is a candidate to fill in as a spot starter with right-hander Zack Greinke opening the season on the disabled list with a broken rib.

“He commanded his fastball well,” Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said. “It looks like it's a sinking fastball, and he pitches down in the zone to guys.”

Estrada appeared in seven games for Milwaukee last season, starting one. He had no record with a 9.53 ERA.

“He's not going to be intimidated over anything,” Roenicke said.

White Sox right-hander Jake Peavy threw a 30-pitch bullpen session on the back fields at the team's spring complex in Glendale, Ariz., his first work from a mound in a week.

Peavy is expected to remain in Glendale for extended spring training because of tendinitis in his right shoulder. He last pitched on March 19, throwing 5 innings against Oakland.

Nineteen Brewers players, along with Hall of Famers Robin Yount and Bob Uecker, signed autographs before the game and raised $4,600 for the American Red Cross' relief efforts in Japan following the earthquake and tsunami earlier this month.