SPRING TRAINING \ Tribe & amp; Bucs

Astros 8, Indians 7, 10 innings
KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Morgan Ensberg could stay in the second slot in Houston's lineup this season, especially if he has more games like the one he had Tuesday. Ensberg homered to help the Astros beat the Indians. Last season, Ensberg hit .364 with a .483 on-base percentage when batting second. "I'll take a look at that," Houston manager Phil Garner said. "That's why I had him up there today." Adam Everett drove in two runs and Lance Berkman went 2-for-4 for the Astros, who finished with 11 hits. Ensberg finished 1-for-3. Paul Byrd, Cleveland's No. 4 starter, pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing four earned runs and seven hits. Casey Blake and Luis Rivas homered for the Indians.
Pirates 3, Red Sox 2
FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Tim Wakefield is showing no signs of slowing down as he begins his 13th year with the Boston Red Sox. Not much has changed for the right-hander, either. His knuckleball still baffles hitters and he doesn't need much time to prepare for the regular season. "Same old, same old," Wakefield said after allowing three runs in six innings in a 3-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday. "I was ready last week. I threw 88 pitches today [and] still felt like I had some gas in the tank." Wakefield, who had a brilliant rookie season with Pittsburgh in 1992, is working under a contract that allows the Red Sox to extend it one year at a time at 4 million. Tony Armas has spent parts of the last four seasons on the disabled list and is slated to be the Pirates' fifth starter. Armas, who became a free agent after pitching for Washington last season, got the win Tuesday, allowing two runs and five hits with six strikeouts and a walk in 5 2/3 innings. "He wasn't what he was in some previous starts this spring, but when a guy goes out there and pitches into the sixth, battles and makes pitches when he has to, that's what you love to see," Pirates manager Jim Tracy said. Left fielder Andrew McCutcheon doubled in Pittsburgh's third run in the second and is hitting .327. He is the team's top prospect but was sent to the minors last weekend.
Associated Press
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