NL | Ben Sheets dominant before tightness in arm forces exit

Ben Sheets had so much ice tightly wrapped around his achy arm that it stuck out as he eased into the black, leather couch in the clubhouse, looking for a little relief.

What a worrisome sight for the Milwaukee Brewers.

Sheets dominated for five innings before a tight pitching arm forced him from the game Friday night and left his immediate future in doubt. The bullpen held on for a 5-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds that will be remembered for something else.

Is Sheets hurt again?

"It's just sore," Sheets said, acknowledging he was a little worried. "It's really sore. It's kind of a crampiness in there."

Sheets (3-0) felt soreness in his right triceps last Monday, the day after his 5-3 win over the Mets and Johan Santana. The hard-throwing right-hander with a history of injuries retired 18 in a row in that one.

The soreness didn't go away all week. The arm was still bothering him Friday night, though no one could tell by the results. Sheets allowed only a pair of singles in five innings, looking very comfortable in a hitter-friendly ballpark where he has never lost.

Up 5-0, manager Ned Yost decided not to send him up to bat in the top of the sixth.

"He could have continued easy, but this is not a time to take a chance," Yost said. "He was throwing good, but I'm not going to take any chance with Ben Sheets in April. I'm not doing it."

At age 29, Sheets is having one of the best Aprils of his career, allowing only three earned runs in his four starts. Suddenly, there's a familiar snag.

In the last two years, Sheets has been limited by a strained groin, a torn finger tendon, shoulder tendinitis and a sore chest muscle. The next few days will tell whether this is just a temporary thing or something that could land him on the disabled list.

"Ben's been amazing all year," third baseman Bill Hall said. "He's throwing a lot of strikes and not giving up many hits or runs. This team rolls when he stays healthy."

Arizona: At 12-4, the Diamondbacks have matched the fastest start in their 11-year history.

Atlanta: RH reliever Peter Moylan might still need reconstructive elbow surgery, but he was feeling a little better after three hours of stretching and exercising Friday. He'll stick with this program for at least another week, then do some tossing to see how his elbow feels. The Braves say he'll need season-ending surgery if the rehab doesn't work.

Los Angeles: OF Andruw Jones, who spent his entire career with the Braves before signing with the Dodgers over the winter, returned to Atlanta for the first time in a visiting uniform. He struck out twice, walked and hit a double in the ninth. Jones' reception was mostly cheers, including a standing ovation for his first at-bat, though the boos got louder as the game went on. "It felt good, playing in the stadium you played in forever," he said. "It was good all around, seeing former teammates and family." Chipper Jones was taken aback by those who jeered the 10-time Gold Glover. "I was glad to see him get that hit," the Braves slugger said. "That ovation he got at the beginning of the game was nice. For some reason, it turned into boos. I didn't really appreciate that." Andruw Jones shrugged it off. "If they boo you, they care about you," he said.

Washington: The Nationals placed C Paul Lo Duca on the 15-day DL, retroactive to April 14, with a right-hand injury. The team reinstated RHP Shawn Hill from a rehab assignment to start today against Florida. He's been on the DL since March 20 with soreness in his right forearm.

Note: Ryan Klesko, 36, is retiring after 16 seasons in the majors.

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