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Friday, Mar. 31 1:05pm ET
Cleveland 10, Minnesota 8 | |||||
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BOX SCORE
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (AP) _ Richie Sexson crashed hard into the left-field fence just moments after Cleveland general manager John Hart had said what a good spring training camp it had been for the Indians. That's the trouble with spring training. When it's quiet, it's dangerous. Sexson suffered a bruised right knee, and Minnesota banged around starter Charles Nagy on Friday before the Indians rallied for a 10-8 victory. The Twins' Todd Walker homered leading off the game and Butch Huskey, who had five RBIs, had a two-run double in the first on the shot that sent Sexson into the wall. The 6-foot-8 Sexson, primarily a first baseman and DH during his career, laid motionless for a few moments on the warning track before walking off the field on his own. X-rays were negative. ``That kind of popped a little scare into us,'' Indians manager Charlie Manuel said. Sexson was scared, too. ``I'm fine. My kneecap just kind of slid out a little bit,'' Sexson said. ``It was painful, like running into concrete.'' Jim Thome hit a three-run homer, his sixth, and Einar Diaz went 4-for-4 and drove in the go-ahead run for the Indians, who trailed 4-0 after the first and 8-5 in the seventh before getting five runs off loser Hector Carrasco. Huskey hit a three-run homer in the fifth for the Twins, who will complete their exhibition season on Saturday against Kansas City. Nagy had his second straight rough outing this spring, allowing seven earned runs and 11 hits with three walks in five innings. Bobby Witt, who appears to have made the Indians' 25-man roster after signing a minor league contract and being invited to camp, got the win. Steve Reed pitched the ninth for his second save. ``I think Charlie's ready, though,'' Manuel said. ``Just because he gave up those runs he'll be all right.'' The Indians will play the Braves in Atlanta on Saturday. Center fielder Kenny Lofton, who has bounced back from offseason shoulder surgery quicker than anyone expected, will likely get his first start of the spring in center. Lofton was given permission by Dr. James Andrews, the orthopedist who operated on him in December, to test his arm in game conditions. Lofton has only played as the Indians' DH, going 5-for-9 with four runs scored. Notes: The Indians are off Sunday before opening the season at Camden Yards in Baltimore on Monday against former manager Mike Hargrove. ... The Indians missed setting an attendance record at Chain O' Lakes Park by just 2,500. Cleveland drew 84,858 in 14 dates. ... Minnesota starter LaTroy Hawkins gave up five runs and eight hits in four innings.
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