SPRING TRAINING Indians power past Detroit

Pittsburgh dropped a 4-3 decision to the Minnesota Twins.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
LAKELAND, Fla. -- Now that Milton Bradley won't be part of the Cleveland Indians this year, manager Eric Wedge will sit back and consider his options for cleanup hitters.
First baseman Ben Broussard made his case for the job Friday, going 2-for-4 with a three-run homer in an 8-2 win over the Detroit Tigers.
After the game, the Indians headed to Philadelphia for two exhibition games against the Phillies in their new ballpark before opening the season Monday at Minnesota.
The flight will give Wedge a chance to look at his options.
"Things have been so hectic, I want to talk to my staff and get everyone's input," he said. "I don't want to get into that just yet."
Having good spring
Broussard is hitting .433 (26-for-60) this spring with three homers and 16 RBIs.
"It would be a challenge to have that opportunity," he said of the cleanup spot. "I hit there in the minors. It's something I'm used to doing, but I'm ready to hit wherever they want me to hit."
Wedge likely will try different players in the No. 4 spot. Travis Hafner and Alex Escobar are among the candidates.
"It would be nice to get used to knowing who's hitting around you," Broussard said. "But the position we're in, [Wedge] will be looking to see who'll step up."
Broussard's single started a four-run second off Gary Knotts and his three-run homer off Chris Mears capped a four-run seventh.
Knotts, competing with Nate Robertson for the Tigers' fifth starting spot, gave up four runs and five hits in the second, but did not allow a hit in his other three innings.
"He had one bad inning," Tigers manager Alan Trammell said. "He hung some breaking balls. But overall, he's had a good spring."
Detroit's lone run off starter Cliff Lee came on a solo homer by Rondell White in the second. Lee gave up three hits in six innings.
Twins 4, Pirates 3
FORT MYERS, Fla. -- A critical outing for Rick Reed was foiled by one of his former teammates.
Fighting for the final spot in Pittsburgh's rotation, Reed was hit on the leg by Shannon Stewart's hard line drive in Minnesota's victory over the Pirates.
Reed, 39, was a Twins starter for the last 2 1/2 seasons. He was signed by Pittsburgh to a minor league contract during the offseason.
After Stewart's hit glanced off his left inner thigh in the second inning, Reed got the final two outs, then left to have his leg iced.
"It caught me pretty good, but I should've made the play," said Reed, who's competing with Ryan Vogelsong and rookie Sean Burnett to be the Pirates' No. 5 starter.
Reed, who gave up two runs, five hits and a walk in two innings, was upset he couldn't go longer.
"It was an important outing," said Reed, who went 1-0 with a 5.72 ERA in four spring starts.
Pulled for precaution
Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon pulled Reed as a precaution and said the short outing will not play into his decision, which will be announced today.
Reed went 25-25 with the Twins following a July 2001 trade from the New York Mets.
"I had some good times with those guys over there, and it's kind of weird," he said of pitching against his former team. "I'd be lying to you if I said my adrenaline wasn't running higher."
Twins starter Kyle Lohse struck out four in four innings while scattering six hits and allowing three earned runs and two walks.
Stewart, who started his spring slowly at the plate, went 3-for-3 with a double. Doug Mientkiewicz went 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Craig Wilson went 3-for-4 with a run scored for Pittsburgh, and Rob Mackowiak went 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored.