Astros rally from four down to knock off Indians

ASSOCIATED PRESS
KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Roger Clemens pitched two scoreless innings in his spring debut, and Houston's prized prospects helped the Astros rally for a 5-4 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Friday.
Willy Taveras hit a two-run double in the seventh inning for Houston and Chris Burke came off the bench for another in the bottom of the ninth.
"What a comeback, huh?" Astros manager Phil Garner said. "The young guys really came up big for us."
Craig Biggio was back at second base for the first time in two years and Jeff Bagwell got a rare chance to be a designated hitter in the Astros' spring home opener at Osceola County Stadium.
Houston got quality performances from Taveras and Charlton Jimerson, who both spent 2004 at Double-A Round Rock, and Burke, who is competing with Biggio to start at second base after playing with Triple-A New Orleans for much of last season.
Trailing 4-0 in the seventh, Taveras doubled in Morgan Ensberg and Jason Lane to pull Houston within two. Jimerson and Burke completed the rally in the ninth with consecutive two-run doubles off Fernando Cabrera.
Clemens and 44-year-old left-hander John Franco pitched the Astros to a scoreless tie through three innings before Dave Burba got roughed up in the fourth.
In the span of just five pitches, Juan Gonzalez hit a two-run homer and Ryan Ludwick also connected off Burba to give the Indians a 3-0 lead. Josh Bard scored on a throwing error by shortstop Adam Everett to put Cleveland up by four.
Pirates 9, Yankees 6
BRADENTON, Fla. -- With Randy Johnson sidelined, Carl Pavano became the first of the Yankees' top-flight off-season pitching acquisitions to make his spring debut.
Pavano, whose arrival in New York has been overshadowed by the Big Unit's first few weeks in pinstripes, pitched two scoreless innings for the Yankees, who blew a late five-run lead.
The Pirates rallied from a 6-1 deficit with three runs in the seventh and five in the eighth. Ben Grieve hit a two-run single off Sean Henn in the seventh to tie the score, 6-all. Jose Leon followed with an RBI single to put the Pirates ahead for good.
Grieve went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs. Matt Lawton went 2-for 2 with a double, Rob Mackowiak went 2-for-3 and Brad Eldred drove in two runs. Pirates starter Mark Redman pitched two scoreless innings.