Grapefruit League roundup: Tribe & Bucs

Indians 7, Yankees 5

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — Andy Marte, trying to make up for two errors at third base, hit a go-ahead three-run homer in the eighth off Darrell Rasner. “We’ve talked so long about Andy’s bat and we’ve felt good about him defensively so that’s what we have to remember,” manager Eric Wedge said about what has been an otherwise ragged spring for Marte. Outside of a game against Washington when he homered twice and drove in six runs, Marte is hitting only .204 and has six errors. Wedge said his final roster decisions — whether to keep Marte, outfielder Ben Francisco or another player in a utility role, may not come until the weekend. An error by center fielder Melky Cabrera on a windblown flyball helped Cleveland score four unearned runs in the first off rookie Ian Kennedy. Ryan Garko hit a three-run homer in the inning. Indians starter Paul Byrd gave up 10 hits and four earned runs over 61‚Ñ3 innings. Robinson Cano went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and Jose Molina was 3-for-4 with an RBI for the Yankees.

Pirates 7, Twins 3

BRADENTON, Fla. — Starting the Pirates’ opener might mean a little more to a 26th-round draft choice like Ian Snell than it does for some pitchers who were picked higher or projected to be stars from the start of their careers. Snell, making his last start before pitching the Pirates’ opener Monday in Atlanta, gave up two runs over six innings Tuesday. When the Pirates drew up their throwing schedule earlier in camp, left-hander Tom Gorzelanny was in line to pitch the opener. That didn’t surprise Snell, who said, “Everything was involved around Gorzelanny. I just was like flying under the radar.” Snell, who recently signed an $8.6 million, three-year deal that includes two option seasons, was motivated by the recently announced decision to start him instead. Especially since, at least statistically, Gorzelanny (14-10, 3.88 ERA) enjoyed a better 2007 season than Snell (9-12, 3.76 ERA). “Last year, I didn’t get the opportunity [to start the opener], so I worked hard this whole offseason and I’m working hard this spring, and I guess I got rewarded,” Snell said. “I’m going to make the best of it and go out and do my job.” Snell gave up Jon Knott’s leadoff homer into a strong breeze to left field to begin the second inning, and Joe Mauer and Mike Cuddyer had consecutive doubles in the third as Minnesota took a 2-0 lead. After that, Snell didn’t allow any more scoring while giving up six hits, striking out four and walking one. “He settled in, got his slider going and the command of his fastball got better,” manager John Russell said. “We got him up to 90 [pitches], so he’s ready to go. I think he’s done what he needs to do to get ready for the season.” Adam LaRoche had an RBI double and Ryan Doumit and Xavier Nady added run-scoring singles during the Pirates’ three-run fourth against Kevin Slowey, the Twins’ minor league pitcher of the year last season. Slowey lasted five innings, yielding four runs and five hits. Jason Bay and Ronny Paulino each had two of the Pirates’ 11 hits.

Associated Press