East: On the first day after his spring audition with the Boston Red Sox took on a new urgency, outfielder Marty Cordova was flattened in a collision with Nomar Garciaparra. Garciaparra was not hurt, but Cordova left Thursday’s game, which the Sox lost 14-11 to the Pittsburgh Pirates, and was taken to Manatee Memorial Hospital. X-rays revealed no broken bones. The Red Sox told Cordova on Wednesday in effect that there was no room for him in their outfield. He returned to the team Thursday in the hopes of impressing the Red Sox–or anyone else. . . . Greg Vaughn hasn’t homered or driven in a run for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, but he did go for 2 for 3 to raise his average to .190 during a 4-1 win over the Detroit Tigers. “The whole time I’ve been seeing the ball, I feel all right,” he said after singling twice and scoring a run against the Tigers, who were held to two hits by three pitchers. “But it does feel good just to finally start getting a couple of results from it.” . . . Maybe the trade rumors fired up Ricky Ledee. He went 3 for 4 with two homers and four RBIs in the New York Yankees’ 8-4 win over the Phillies. “I don’t care anymore,” Ledee said of the trade talks. . . . Albert Belle and Greg Myers hit their first home runs of the spring, leading the Baltimore Orioles over a New York Mets’ split squad 9-3.
Central: Dave Roberts hit a grand slam and Enrique Wilson capped the Cleveland Indians’ nine-run ninth inning with a three-run homer as the Indians rallied to beat the Kansas City Royals 11-10. Wilson’s home run off Billy Brewer followed a two-run hit by Jacob Cruz and Roberts’ grand slam, both off Ken Ryan. It mirrored the Royals’ 1999 season, when their bullpen blew 30 saves.
West: The California Angels released veteran left-hander Greg Cadaret and lost 4-3 to the Oakland Athletics, who won their ninth straight when Matt Stairs singled to drive in the tying run and Jeremy Giambi followed with a sacrifice fly.
