Hafner homers in Tribe victory; Bucs edge Reds

ASSOCIATED PRESS

GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Travis Hafner hit his first homer since October shoulder surgery and Carl Pavano pitched effectively into the seventh inning for the Cleveland Indians in a 5-2 win over the San Diego Padres on Monday.

Hafner opened the second inning with a homer to right-center off Kevin Correia. Hafner went 1-for-4 and is hitting .227 with five RBIs.

Manager Eric Wedge confirmed that Hafner will hit in the No. 3 or No. 4 spot in Cleveland’s order to open the season.

Pavano allowed runs in each of the first two innings, then retired 10 in a row. He gave up four hits, walked one and struck out four.

Before the game the Indians announced Zach Jackson will open the season as the final pitcher on the Indians’ staff.

The left-hander was told by manager Eric Wedge that he will be with the team when Cleveland opens the season in Texas against the Rangers on April 6.

Wedge said veteran right-handers Matt Herges and Vinny Chulk will be sent to Triple-A Columbus.

The Indians also placed David Dellucci on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left calf and recalled outfielder Trevor Crowe from Triple-A Columbus.

Pirates 3, Reds 2

BRADENTON, Fla. — Ross Ohlendorf is proving that the Pittsburgh Pirates were right about him.

The Pirates got the right-handed reliever from the Yankees as part of the trade for Xavier Nady last July, then put him in the rotation for the rest of the season. They kept him there this spring, and he provided more evidence on Monday that it was the right move.

Ohlendorf pitched into the sixth inning, allowing only a run set up by a flyball lost in the sun, and the Pirates’ reserves rallied in the ninth inning.

Ohlendorf gave up only three hits during 51‚Ñ3 innings, another solid showing. Overall this spring, the right-hander has allowed only two earned runs in 202‚Ñ3 innings.

“I’m really excited about the regular season, but I’m still getting things out of these games,” Ohlendorf said. “I want to show them why I feel I deserve to be in the rotation. I want to make their decision look good.”

Cincinnati got its run off Ohlendorf in the sixth, when Laynce Nix hit a routine flyball to center that fell for a double when Nate McLouth lost it in the sun. Nix scored on Adam Rosales’ double to tie it at 1.

Rosales gave the Reds the lead with an RBI double in the eighth as both teams substituted all eight starters in the final innings. Jeff Salazar’s two-out single in the bottom of the ninth tied it against Josh Roenicke. After a walk, Jason Jaramillo singled up the middle off Daniel Ray Herrara for the winning run.