Angels lose to Milwaukee, 4-3

SCORE: Milwaukee 4, Angels 3

AT THE PLATE: Vernon Wells, who is expected to open the season as a reserve outfielder, furthered his quest for more playing time with his second homer of the spring, crushing a first-pitch fastball from Hiram Burgos far beyond the left-field wall in the second. After striking out in his first two at-bats, catcher Hank Conger stroked a score-tying two-run single to center in the sixth.

ON THE MOUND: C.J. Wilson took his surgically repaired left elbow for its first test drive, giving up four hits and two runs in 1 2/3 innings. “This is the loosest I’ve ever felt arm-wise,” said Wilson, who had bone spurs removed last October. “If you’re driving around with a flat tire and you put a new tire on, your car will drive a lot better, right?” Reliever Ernesto Frieri gave up one single in a scoreless sixth.

EXTRA BASES: The Brewers won in the ninth when Rene Tosoni led off with a triple and Caleb Gindl, with the Angels employing a five-man infield, hit a sacrifice fly to left. … Angels reliever Sean Burnett, slowed by back stiffness for the past two weeks, is expected to resume throwing off a mound on Sunday.

UP NEXT: Angels (Joe Blanton) vs. Cubs (Nick Struck) at Tempe Diablo Stadium, noon PST Sunday. On the air: TV: Fox Sports West. Radio: 830.

—Mike DiGiovanna