SPRING TRAINING ROUNDUP \ Tribe & amp; Bucs

Astros 6, Indians 2
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. -- Roy Oswalt prepared for his fifth consecutive opening day start with six scoreless innings. Oswalt limited the Cleveland Indians to three hits. Richard Hidalgo hit a three-run homer for the Astros. Oswalt allowed a first-inning double by Jason Michaels, who was later thrown out at home plate by Houston right fielder Luke Scott. That double was the only extra-base hit off Oswalt, who struck out five and walked two. He retired the last eight batters he faced. The Astros scored four runs off Cleveland closer Joe Borowski in the fifth inning, including Hidalgo's first homer of the spring. His long drive over the left field fence was preceded by Mike Lamb's RBI hit and Indians infielder Hector Luna's eighth error of spring training. Cleveland starter Paul Byrd allowed one run over four innings, a sacrifice fly by Humberto Quintero. Byrd gave up seven hits, including Eric Munson's double. The Indians broke the shutout on seventh-inning RBI singles by Keith Ginter and Mike Rouse off Houston's Brad Lidge. Rouse was 3-for-4, while Ginter and Ryan Garko had two hits each.
Pirates 3, Yankees 2
BRADENTON, Fla. -- With their relievers pitching well again, the Pirates beat the Yankees as catchers Humberto Cota and Ronny Paulino continued their strong springs. Cota had a two-run double and Paulino added an RBI single and is hitting .514. Shawn Chacon started because the Pirates didn't want left-hander Zach Duke facing New York for a second consecutive start, and the former Yankees right-hander pitched three scoreless innings against a lineup that included only four regulars. Four relievers followed Chacon, with Jonah Bayliss pitching two scoreless innings. Bayliss missed part of camp because of a quadriceps problem, but has allowed only one run in four innings since returning to add another name to the Pirates' crowded bullpen picture. Even after closer Mike Gonzalez was traded to Atlanta, the Pittsburgh bullpen looked relatively set with right-handers Chacon, Matt Capps, Dan Kolb and Salomon Torres and left-handers John Grabow and Damaso Marte filling all but one job. But Bayliss, Josh Sharpless, Kevin Gryboski, Shane Youman and John Wasdin have pitched well enough that they're part of the mix, too. For the Yankees, Sean Henn worked 11/3 perfect innings as he pushes the struggling Ron Villone to be one of two left-handers in the bullpen. In six innings, Henn hasn't allowed a run or a hit. Cota's two-run double came in the seventh against Colter Bean. Cota is hitting .389 and is tied with Paulino for the team lead with 11 RBIs. The left-handed Duke, Pittsburgh's opening day starter, gave up seven runs and nine hits in 32/3 innings Sunday against New York. Friday, he allowed six hits and two runs, both earned, struck out three and walked none in six innings against Triple-A Norfolk, the Orioles' top farm club.
Associated Press
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