GRAPEFRUIT LEAGUE Tribe's WBC rep adds his touch

The Pirates lost to Philadelphia, 5-4.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. -- Ronnie Belliard returned from the World Baseball Classic with his swing in good shape.
The Indians' second baseman homered, doubled twice and singled Friday as the Cleveland Indians beat Toronto 16-3.
Belliard was with the Dominican Republic at the WBC from March 3 through Monday. He returned to the Indians on Tuesday, hitting a home run against Cincinnati in his first at-bat. Belliard is 8-for-12 (.667) in four games.
"My timing is coming, but I've got to keep working on it," Belliard said. "I think I'm in pretty good shape, but I only got seven at-bats [in the WBC]."
For the Blue Jays, the best news of the day came away from the game.
Belliard hit a leadoff homer and Eduardo Perez a grand slam during Cleveland's seven-run second inning. Jason Michaels had two singles and a home run for the Indians, and Casey Blake doubled twice.
"Ronnie was hitting before he left, and he came back hitting," Indians manager Eric Wedge said.
Blue Jays right-hander A.J. Burnett pitched for the first time since scar tissue broke free in his right elbow Saturday, throwing 35 pitches from 60 feet at the teams spring-training complex.
"It was a nice little day of playing catch," Burnett said. "No pain, no discomfort everything is fine."
Phillies 5, Pirates 4
CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Pittsburgh Pirates left-hander Oliver Perez doesn't think a lot of innings in March is necessary to be ready for April.
Perez, who will be the Pirates' opening day starter for the second season in a row, was happy with his four innings-plus outing against the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night despite giving up Aaron Rowand's homer in the first and several other deep drives.
The left-hander threw 68 pitches, 37 for strikes, while giving up six hits and two runs, walking two and striking out five. He left with a lead, but the Phillies came back to win.
Perez has pitched only 10 competitive innings -- six with the Pirates in two games and four innings for Mexico in the World Baseball Classic -- but believes he is much better prepared for opening day than he was a year ago. He will pitch again Wednesday against the Red Sox before his April 3 start in Milwaukee.
"I felt like he had a few more 3-ball counts than I would like to see, which puts him in a vulnerable position because he creates opportunities for the opposition to take some free swings at him," manager Jim Tracy said. "If he avoids that with the different stuff he possesses, it will enhance his situation greatly. But I thought he had a good workout."
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