GOODYEAR, Ariz.—Aaron Cook struck out seven over five innings to outpitch AL Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee, and the Colorado Rockies beat the Cleveland Indians 5-0 on Wednesday.
Dan Ortmeier had three hits for the Rockies, who scored four runs off Lee in the first three innings.
“I was just trying to get my work in, probably just like Cliff, but I had a little better result,” said Cook, who gave up three hits without a walk. “I didn’t really care about results, but it felt good to do better than the last time I was here.”
In three innings on March 1 against the Indians, Cook gave up seven hits and five runs—two earned.
“I’m a groundball pitcher, so all those strikeouts today probably won’t happen during the season,” Cook said. “It just happened. I was just trying to pitch to contact, which is my game.”
Lee allowed five hits and three earned runs over three innings in his second spring training start. His throwing error gave Colorado an unearned run in the first.
With runners breaking for second and third, Lee threw the ball down the left-field line.
“We work on that every day, so if the manager says go do more work on it, I deserve it,” Lee said. “I’m not happy about that throw. Otherwise, I felt fine and not concerned about giving up hits and runs.
“I wanted to work on locating the fastball, so I kept throwing them. With guys on base in the regular season, no way I keep pumping fastball after fastball like I did. But I’m here to get sharp and command the fastball first. Then everything follows. That’s the key to pitching.”
That’s the philosophy Lee has followed throughout his career. It paid off in 2008 when he went 22-3 with a 2.54 ERA.
“I’m not any different this year,” the left-hander said. “When you throw 100 pitches a game, there’s always something to work on. I’m always doing something—nothing new, but repetition. You do something until you get it right and keep it there.”
Sidearm reliever Joe Smith, sidelined two weeks by a virus, made his Indians debut. He yielded one hit in one scoreless inning.
“It’s about time I got out there,” said Smith, acquired in a December trade from the New York Mets. “I felt all right.
“If I can get eight (appearances) under my belt, I’ll be more than ready.”
Manny Corpas and Shane Lindsay each worked an inning and Jhoulys Chacin two innings to complete the five-hit shutout for Colorado. It was the Rockies’ fifth straight win.
Indians manager Eric Wedge was happy with Jeremy Sowers, who gave up two hits in three scoreless innings.
“He was a lot better,” Wedge said of Sowers, one of five lefties vying for the No. 5 spot in the rotation. “He was more aggressive with his fastball than he has been in a long time.”
Notes:@ Cleveland’s Grady Sizemore played the outfield for the first time since Feb. 26. He had missed 10 days with a strained groin and served as the DH in two games since returning Sunday. … Indians DH Travis Hafner went 0-for-3, but played back-to-back games for the first time since having shoulder surgery in October. … Ortmeier, Eric Young Jr., and rookie hopeful Edwin Bellorin all had stolen bases for Colorado, but Jon Herrera was picked off first by Sowers.
