Carter Kieboom demoted by Nats after rough start

MILWAUKEE (AP) — A day after he failed to come up with a line drive and misplayed a grounder for an error, rookie shortstop Carter Kieboom was demoted by the Washington Nationals to Triple-A Fresno.

Both miscues Kieboom led to Milwaukee runs in the Brewers' 5-3 win Monday night. Kieboom, a 21-year-old who debuted April 26, was hitting .128 (5 for 39) with two home runs in 11 games. He made four errors.

"We brought him up here out of necessity because we were beat up," Nationals manager Dave Martinez said Tuesday. He was doing well in Triple-A and we wanted him to get his feet wet and get him an opportunity to come up here and see what it's all about. He'll be back."

Kieboom was optioned to Fresno as part of a flurry of moves. Third baseman Anthony Rendon was activated from the injured list after recovering from a bruised left elbow and was third in the batting order against the Brewers. Left-hander Tony Sipp was placed on the injured list because of a strained oblique muscle and right-hander Erick Fedde was recalled from Double-A Harrisburg

Rendon was hitting .356 with six homers and 18 RBIs when he got hurt. He was hit by a pitch from Miami's José Ureña on April 20.

"He's the guy in our lineup who makes things go," Martinez said. "Having Anthony back gives us another guy in the middle of the lineup who can potentially drive in some runs for us."

Wilmer Difo shifted from third to shortstop and is likely to see a majority of the time there,

Martinez said Sipp had been bothered by the oblique since before the season. Sipp did not sign with Washington until mid-March.

"I think guys realize spring training is important," Martinez said. "We don't want him to work through it because if one thing happens and then something else breaks down because you're afraid of ruining the other thing ... we don't want him to go through that."