Michaels' hitting helps carry Tribe; Bucs fall to Reds

Jasons -- Johnson, Stanford and Davis -- were instrumental on the mound.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. -- Jason Michaels hit a two-run single and a two-run double as Cleveland sent 14 men to bat during a nine-run sixth inning in the Indians' 10-5 win over a Washington split squad Thursday.
"Jason's a good situational player who has really fit in quickly," manager Eric Wedge said. Michaels was acquired from Philadelphia to replace the traded Coco Crisp in left field and the No. 2 spot in the order.
Former Indians left-hander Billy Traber allowed only one hit over four innings, striking out four.
The Nationals' Travis Hughes gave up five runs without recording an out and Bill Bray (0-1) yielded four more runs in the decisive sixth.
"I've said all along I can't worry about replacing Coco," Michaels said. "But it felt good to get a couple key hits."
Franklin Gutierrez also had a two-run single in the inning.
Cleveland starter Jason Johnson allowed four runs and nine hits over three innings. Lefty Jason Stanford worked two scoreless innings before Jason Davis (1-0) gave up one run in two innings for the win.
Fans remember
Traber will always be remembered by Cleveland fans for his one-hit shutout of the Yankees in 2003. Two months later, however, he had reconstructive elbow surgery. He missed the entire 2004 season and pitched at three levels in the Indians' farm system last year before being released.
"It's a good day if you're on the field and not in the rehab room," Traber said. "The Indians treated me like gold. I'm in a big league camp trying for a job because of the way they helped me."
Two Cleveland errors -- making it 17 in 10 games -- helped Washington take a 3-0 first-inning lead. Catcher Einar Diaz threw 30 feet wide of second base on a steal by George Lombard, who went to third on the error and later scored.
Later, Johnson tried to pick off Damon Jackson, but the throw handcuffed third-baseman Andy Marte, allowing the former Indians infielder to score.
Marlon Anderson homered in the Washington third to make it 4-0.
Reds 2, Pirates 1
BRADENTON, Fla. -- Cincinnati right-hander Aaron Harang was scratched before a win over the Pittsburgh Pirates because of inflammation in his right shoulder, the third Reds starting pitcher to miss time this spring.
Harang, who was a favorite to be the team's opening day starter, blamed the injury on some recent changes in his delivery.
"I did something exactly like this in Double-A a couple years ago, where I tinkered with my mechanics and my body told me, 'Don't do that again,"' said Harang, who is day to day. "I thought this was just normal stiffness or soreness, but the pain lingered."
It was the latest injury for a Reds starter. Eric Milton is out with a right calf strain and could return next week. He will throw a simulated game on Sunday. Paul Wilson is recovering from shoulder surgery and it's uncertain if he'll be ready when the season starts.
Tommy Phelps, Harang's replacement, pitched three scoreless innings and gave up two hits. Cincinnati got a two-run home run in the second from Edwin Encarnacion on the first pitch he saw from Ian Snell. It was Encarnacion's fifth home run of the spring, and it appeared to be aided by a strong wind gusting to left-center.
Snell, a candidate for Pittsburgh's rotation, was effective enough that he was left in the game for four innings, instead of his scheduled three. He allowed one hit other than Encarnacion's home run and displayed good command of all pitches.
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