Before taking the field for the New York Yankees, Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez gave his teammates a scouting report of his former mates in his native Cuba.
"These pitchers are better than me," Hernandez said about the Cuban pitchers taking on the Baltimore Orioles.That was especially true Sunday, when Hernandez gave up homers to Bobby Smith and Paul Sorrento in the seventh inning of an 8-5 loss to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
New York Yankees starter David Cone gave up five runs and 10 hits in five innings, allowing a two-run homer to Fred McGriff. Hernandez, who struck out seven, worked the final four innings and gave up three runs and four hits.
"I'm not going to worry about them," Yankees interim manager Don Zimmer said. "They're both going to win. Everything is going to be all right."
At Havana, Harold Baines, only 6 days old when major league teams last played in Cuba in 1959, singled in the tiebreaking run in the 11th to lead Baltimore to a 3-2 win over a Cuban all-star team.
Charles Johnson hit a two-run homer off Jose Ibar in the second, but Roberquis Videaux hit an RBI single in the seventh and Omar Linares, Cuba's most renowned player, singled in the tying run in the eighth.
"The main thing is that this was a good show. We have the respect of the Orioles," Cuban manager Alfonso Urquiola said.
With Cuban president Fidel Castro watching from the front row, Cuba outhit Baltimore 10-6. Orioles starter Scott Erickson allowed one run and five hits in seven innings, while Cuba's second pitcher, Jose Contreras, gave up two hits in eight shutout innings and struck out 10.
"I'm not sure I see enough power," Orioles manager Ray Miller said, "but I certainly see enough pitching."
At Kissimmee, Fla., four-time Cy Young Award winner Greg Maddux told the Atlanta Braves he would like to undergo corrective laser eye surgery so he would no longer have to wear contact lenses.
Maddux, who wears contact lenses when pitching and small, wire-rimmed glasses off the field, has said if he had the surgery he probably wouldn't even miss a start.
"He's been talking about it since he got down here," manager Bobby Cox said. "I don't know if he'll have it."
At Sarasota, Fla., Denny Neagle struggled in four innings against Cincinnati Reds minor leaguers, giving up eight hits -- including four homers. His fastball topped out at 84 mph and he once again had trouble with his control.
"Velocity is not something I worry about," said Neagle, who will start the season on the 15-day disabled list. "When I feel like my arm is getting all the way back to where I want it to be, where I can start cutting loose a little more, I'll do it at that point. Now it's a matter of getting the pitches in, getting the arm strength up."
In other games:
INDIANS 7, BLUE JAYS 6: At Winter Haven, Fla., Dave Roberts singled home the winning run in a two-run ninth after Cleveland manager Mike Hargrove was ejected.
ROYALS 10, ASTROS 9: At Haines City, Fla., Scott Pose, a 32-year-old outfielder battling for a spot on the roster, drove in four runs. Kansas City (18-8) set a team record for spring victories, topping the old mark set in 1977 and tied in 1988.
TIGERS 5, PHILLIES 4 (10): At Lakeland, Fla., Kimera Bartee led off the 10th inning with a bunt single, stole second and scored on a single by Damion Easley.
PIRATES 11, RANGERS 9: At Port Charlotte, Fla., Ivan Cruz hit his fourth home run of the spring, going 4-for-4 with four RBIs.
TWINS (SS) 6, REDS 4: At Sarasota, Fla., Denny Hocking and Jacques Jones opened the game with homers and Corey Koskie added a solo shot.
RED SOX 9, TWINS (SS) 8: At Fort Myers, Fla., Tim Wakefield gave up two home runs to Ron Coomer and one to Matt Lawton. Boston shortstop Nomar Garciaparra and second baseman Jeff Frye played in the field together for the first time this year.
EXPOS 3, MARLINS 1: At Jupiter, Fla., Orlando Cabrera hit a two-run single and an RBI single. Javier Vazquez and three-relievers combined on a six-hitter.
DODGERS 3, BRAVES 2: At Vero Beach, Fla., Ismael Valdes gave up a two-run homer to Chipper Jones in the first, then pitched six shutout innings. Adrian Beltre went 3-for-3.
METS 6, CARDINALS 6 (11): At Port St. Lucie, Fla., Melvin Mora hit a three-run double and made three slick fielding plays at third base for New York. Placido Polanco tied it with a two-run double in the seventh off Pat Mahomes.
ATHLETICS 9, CUBS 6: At Phoenix, Tony Phillips hit a three-run homer off Marc Pisciotta in the eighth.
MARINERS 4, PADRES 2: At Peoria, Ariz., Rookie Freddy Garcia pitched six scoreless innings, improving to 4-0.
ROCKIES 7, ANGELS 4: At Tucson, Ariz., Vinny Castilla drove in two runs with a homer and single, and Brian Bohanon allowed two runs and four hits in five innings.
GIANTS 8, BREWERS 7: At Scottsdale, Ariz., F.P. Santangelo twice fouled off pitches trying to bunt before hitting a two-run homer in the ninth.
DIAMONDBACKS 7, WHITE SOX 5: At Tucson, Ariz., Matt Williams went 3-for-3 with an RBI triple and David Dellucci drove in two runs. Brook Fordyce homered twice for Chicago.