SPRING ROUNDUP | Indians/Pirates

SPRING ROUNDUP | Indians/Pirates

Indians 11, Astros 5

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — C.C. Sabathia threw three perfect innings, needing only 28 pitches to get through nine batters. He struck out three and barely broke a sweat. On a 50-pitch count in his second start this spring, the Cleveland ace threw 22 more pitches down the right-field line. “I was just trying to pound the strike zone, stay tall and throw the ball downhill, something I didn’t do in my last start,” he said. “The last time I had a tough time throwing in on righties, but today I just made a conscious effort to get it in there and made some good pitches,” he said. “I can build off that.” The Indians got 19 hits a day afterAtlanta came within one out of pitching a no-hitter against them. Grady Sizemore tripled and doubled, Franklin Gutierrez added three hits and Ben Francisco went 4-for-4 with two RBIs. A couple of projected starting pitchers for the Astros didn’t fare too well. Woody Williams allowed five runs and six hits in 22‚Ñ3 innings and Brandon Backe gave up four runs and seven hits in three innings. Backe didn’t throw any breaking balls in his first two innings, in which he allowed all of his hits and runs.

Pirates 8, Blue Jays, 8-7

BRADENTON, Fla. — Freddy Sanchez singled, hit a sacrifice fly and drove in two runs in Pittsburgh’s victory, which ended on Andrew McCutchen’s two-run single in the ninth. Sanchez, who had arthroscopic surgery in late September, still can’t make the routine throws needed to play second base, a worry with the season now 31‚Ñ2 weeks away. “I went out and threw about 60 feet today, not much,” Sanchez said. “I’m doing what they tell me to do. I’m doing a little throwing program here and see if that’s going to help. But I don’t know where I am as far as game-wise or when I can be back or anything like that.” Sanchez began last season on the disabled list because of a knee injury that occurred a year ago Thursday and severely limited his exhibition game at-bats. “I’m a guy who needs a lot of work in spring training,” Sanchez said. “At least this year I can get my at-bats against live pitching, and that’s the biggest key: getting my at-bats. Last year I wasn’t able to get my at-bats in, which was frustrating.” Manager John Russell insists he isn’t worried, saying, “There’s no reason to push it and risk a setback. He’s making progress, taking plenty of groundballs. I don’t see any rush to get him there.” Sanchez understands the value of an uninterrupted, injury-free camp. Two years ago, he hit .344, the highest average by a Pirates everyday player since Roberto Clemente’s .345 in 1969. He dropped to .304 last year, an average dragged down partly because he hit .224 in April following his injury-stalled March. When Sanchez underwent the 15-minute procedure to correct a joint problem, he was told he needed only six to eight weeks to regain total strengthin his shoulder. That was 22 weeks ago. “I just thought I needed to strengthen it and keep going, but it’s not cooperating,” he said.