Cactus league

Cactus league

Tribe’s Kluber solid in final spring start

SCOTTSDALE, ariz.

Cleveland’s Corey Kluber had a strong final spring outing; Arizona’s Wade Miley, not so good.

Kluber, the No. 2 starter in the Indians’ rotation, allowed two runs on five hits in seven innings in Cleveland’s 3-2 victory over a Diamondbacks’ split-squad on Thursday.

Kluber blanked Arizona for six innings before being tagged for a pair of runs in the seventh. He struck out seven and walked one.

Miley, the starter in the Diamondbacks’ season-opening 3-1 loss to Clayton Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers in Australia, gave up three runs on seven hits in 42/3 innings, walking one and hitting a batter.

Both teams have exhibition games Friday and Saturday. Arizona plays the Chicago Cubs at Phoenix’s Chase Field, the Indians are at San Diego.

Grapefruit league

Yankees’ Sabathia handles Pittsburgh

bradenton, fla.

New York Yankees ace CC Sabathia pitched four scoreless innings in his final tuneup for opening day, a 4-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday.

Pitching in a steady drizzle, Sabathia faced 13 batters, allowed three hits and got five ground-ball outs. He finished spring training with 17 scoreless innings.

Coming off the poorest season of his big league career, Sabathia starts Tuesday at Houston.

Ichiro Suzuki went 3 for 3 with one RBI and a run scored. Eduardo Nunez and Mark Teixeira also had one RBI apiece.

Pittsbugh’s Stolmy Pimentel allowed four runs and nine hits in four innings, struck out three and walked one.

It was the Florida finale for the Pirates, who play the Phillies on Friday and Saturday in Philadelphia and then host the Chicago Cubs on Monday in their opener.

Associated Press