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  Tuesday, Mar. 7 1:05pm ET
Cleveland 2, Houston 1
 
  RECAP

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (AP) _ Lance Johnson singled and scored the winning run on a head-first slide into home plate Tuesday as the Cleveland Indians rallied in the ninth inning to beat the Houston Astros 2-1.

The loss was the Astros' first in spring training after four straight wins.

Houston starter Shane Reynolds pitched three scoreless innings and Dwight Gooden, who played for Cleveland in 1998 and '99, followed with two perfect innings. Gooden has now pitched four innings this spring without giving up a hit.

Indians starter Bartolo Colon allowed two hits in 3 2-3 scoreless innings.

With Cleveland trailing 1-0 in the ninth inning, Ruben Sierra led off with a double to off Octavio Dotel.

Johnson, the frontrunner to win the Indians' center field job while All-Star Kenny Lofton recovers from shoulder surgery, followed with a single and Dotel hit Danny Peoples with a pitch, loading the bases.

Bill Selby then singled home Sierra and Jesse Levis lofted a sacrifice fly to right, with Johnson sliding home for the winning run.

Houston had scored in the eighth on a balk by Cleveland pitcher Mark Watson.

Notes: Cleveland 1B Jim Thome missed the game with flu-like symptoms. ... Peoples was hit behind the right ear by Dotel's pitch in the ninth inning, but was able to walk off the field and was being evaluated by Indians team doctors after the game. ... Houston closer Billy Wagner made his first appearance of the spring, allowing an Alex Ramirez single but striking out Manny Ramirez and Mark Whiten.

 


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