Lee less than sharp in debut

ASSOCIATED PRESS

GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Cliff Lee arrived at the ballpark feeling sky high, a day after riding in an F-16 fighter jet. The Milwaukee Brewers quickly reminded him he was back on the ground.

The Cleveland Indians’ ace allowed two runs and three hits over one inning in his first game action since winning the 2008 AL Cy Young Award, a 17-7 loss Friday to the Milwaukee Brewers.

Lee made the one-hour flight Thursday from Luke Air Force Base to tape a public-service commercial. It included barrel rolls and loops.

“It was a lot of fun,” he said. “I didn’t throw up. They said 95 percent of the people they take up there do that.”

Lee got approval from the Indians and said he didn’t even check whether there was language in the guarantee provision of his contract prohibiting such daring activity.

“There’s a crash, the contract wouldn’t matter anyway,” Lee said. “Then you look at the life insurance policy.”

Lee was scheduled for two innings or 35 pitches. He threw 31 pitches, and manager Eric Wedge decided that was enough.

“Cliff threw a lot of pitches there but was fine,” Wedge said.

Lee was unfazed by his results — nowhere near his level of the 2008 season, when he went 22-3 with a 2.53 ERA.

“I threw all right,” Lee said. “They hit a couple of good pitches, actually. I’m not worried. Camp is longer this year, so there’s plenty of time to work on things.”

Indians designated hitter Travis Hafner went 0-for-2 in his first game since shoulder surgery in October.

“I felt good, but kind of went out there wanting to swing and without a plan,” Hafner said. “I was pretty excited.”

Rays 8, Pirates 5

BRADENTON, Fla. — Carlos Pena doubled twice and drove in three runs in his spring debut for Tampa Bay.

Pena led the AL champions with 31 home runs and 102 RBIs last year despite missing 20 games because of a broken finger. He had offseason surgery for a torn abdominal muscle.

In his first exhibition game, he hit the first pitch he saw off the left-field wall for an RBI double.

In the second inning, Pena blooped a two-run double down the line into shallow left field.

Left-hander Carlos Hernandez blanked the Pirates for 32‚Ñ3 innings. He extended his spring scoreless streak to 72‚Ñ3 innings.

Pirates left fielder Andrew McCutchen made solid contact in his two at-bats against Hernandez, but wound up with lineouts. In the fifth inning, McCutchen hit a solo homer off the scoreboard in left field against Dale Thayer.

“My eyes are really starting to adjust to the ball,” said McCutchen, who is the Pirates’ top outfield prospect.