Lorenzo Cain is back with the Brewers!

Missed this in the rush to catch the bus to Clinton this morning.

Rookie outfielder Cain may get to play regularly

Now everyone will get to see what Lorenzo Cain can do when given regular playing time.

The Milwaukee Brewers called up the centerfielder from Class AAA Nashville on Friday and placed centerfielder Carlos Gomez on the disabled list with a concussion after he was hit in the head with a fastball Monday. The move is retroactive to Tuesday.

When Cain was first called up in Atlanta this season, it was to replace left-hander Doug Davis (elbow tendinitis) on the roster and Cain was quickly optioned back to Nashville when right-hander Yovani Gallardo was activated from the DL less than a week later. Cain was 3 for 5 in three games but never started.

This time around Cain will get regular playing time and likely will start against left-handed pitchers, as he did Friday against Houston's Wandy Rodriguez. Cain went 1 for 3 in his Miller Park debut and scored the game's first run after his speed forced a throwing error on an infield hit.

"He came up and did very well, so it'll be interesting to see how he does," manager Ken Macha said. "They've got a couple of lefties, Houston, and it'll be nice to have a right-hander available on the bench to pinch hit late in the game on Saturday" when right-hander Brett Myers starts for the Astros.

Cain was a Rattler for a brief time in 2009.

Lorenzo Cain, Milwaukee Brewer

If you saw the Rattler Alumni Report for today - or if you watched the Brewers game last night - you noticed that the first Timber Rattlers player in the new Brewers Era made his major league debut.

Lorenzo Cain went 0-for-1 as a pinch hitter for Kameron Loe in the top of the ninth.

After a bit of a false start earlier, Cain is officially a big leaguer.

Lorenzo Cain was promoted for real this time. The Brewers put pitcher Doug Davis on the disabled list Friday to finally make room on the active roster for the speedy outfielder.

Cain was brought to Milwaukee the week before the All-Star break, but wasn't activated. He returned to Nashville when the Brewers decided to activate Davis and go with 13 pitchers. The veteran left-hander made a start against the Pirates and is now back on the DL because of left elbow tendinitis.

Cain, 24, was hitting a combined .326 in 72 games with Double-A Huntsville and Triple-A Nashville. He had 19 extra-base hits, including seven triples, and was 25-for-27 in steal attempts.

"He's got tremendous tools," said Brewers manager Ken Macha, noting that Cain "put up good numbers in Double-A and got off to a hot start in Triple-A."

Cain, who arrived at Turner Field during batting practice, gives the Brewers another option in center field, but Macha said that the right-handed hitter's role initially will be as a pinch-hitter. "There have been days when I had no right-handed guys on the bench," Macha said.

Here's hoping that Cain makes the most of his opportunity with the Brewers!

Getting to know Cain

Tom Haudricourt has a short piece on Lorenzo Cain ('09) at the Journal-Sentinel Brewers Blog.

Lorenzo Cain had never been through a year like 2009, and it was a bit unnerving for the centerfield prospect.

It’s never any fun getting hurt, especially when you see your career flashing before your eyes.

“It was hard. I had good people around me, helping me keep my head up,” said Cain.

Cain, who began the season on the DL with a hamstring strain, played only four games at Class AA Huntsville before tearing the posterior cruciate ligament in is left knee making a fantastic diving catch in center. He didn’t need surgery but he was shut down for more than two months.

“You have to stay focused,” Cain said of the down time. “It can be depressing. The first two weeks, I was frustrated big-time but I got over it. It tests you.

“But I moved on and focused on getting my knee better and coming back to get a few at-bats at least.”

Click to find out which Brewers player people think Cain looks like.

A tough day for Cody...BUT

From the Journal-Sentinel Brewers Blog...

It was not a good day for Cody Scarpetta, who got the blown save and the loss after allowing two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, coughing up a one-run lead.

Despite getting two gimme outs - a popped up bunt and a caught stealing on the arm of Angel Salome - Scarpetta walked three batters and allowed a two-run double to Logan Forsythe.

"Three walks in an inning, " manager Ken Macha said. "He got some help there, help with two. But he's a young guy. He's fine. He's got a good arm."

There was some better news about an ex-Rattler near the bottom of the article:

Lorenzo Cain looked good again at the plate, going 2 for 4 and made a nice running catch in deep center field.

Here's the close

"I want to play center field for the Milwaukee Brewers," Cain said in a quiet but determined tone. "Who knows when that would happen? But I want to make it happen as soon as possible."

That is the last quote from the Prodigal Beat Writer's story on Lorenzo Cain.

Go read it all. I'll be back later this afternoon.