New York Mets: Tom Glavine threw three sharp innings Thursday and the Mets got two-run homers from Joe McEwing and Jorge Velandia in a 7-0 victory over the Detroit Tigers.

Making his second start of the spring, Glavine threw 40 pitches and gave up two hits -- both doubles. It was a vast improvement from his Mets debut against the Orioles last Saturday, when he allowed four runs and six hits in two innings in Fort Lauderdale.

Glavine, who left rival Atlanta to sign a $35 million, three-year deal with New York in the offseason, struck out two and did not walk a batter. The two-time Cy Young winner also singled in his only at-bat and slid into second base to break up a double play.

"The hardest part of the day was running the bases,'' Glavine said. "Spring has officially started.''

Velandia and McEwing went deep in the fourth inning to give New York a 4-0 lead, and the Mets added three more runs in the fifth.

Pedro Astacio was sent to New York for an MRI exam on his right shoulder. GM Steve Phillips said the team was being cautious, and the area where Astacio is experiencing pain indicates biceps tendinitis, a common spring training ailment.

New York Yankees: Pitcher David Wells had treatment for a sprained left ankle Thursday and did not take part in spring training drills.

Wells was hurt in Wednesday's 12-2 loss to Atlanta. He fell on the mound trying to get out of the way of a groundball, which struck his right foot.

"It's sore," Wells said. "Getting treatment. Time will tell."

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said X-rays were negative, and he didn't know if Wells would make his next start Monday.

Wells struggled in his second spring start Wednesday, giving up five runs on nine hits in three innings. He was booed by the Legends Field crowd of 10,115 after failing to cover first base in the third.

Johnny Estrada hit the liner that caused the trouble Wednesday, a ball that deflected off the glove of diving first baseman Todd Zeile and went to second baseman Alfonso Soriano.

"I saw it glance off his glove," Wells said after the game. "I thought it was in the hole honestly. It was my fault.

"With a guy at second, I turned around and started to go the other way (to back up third base). It went right to Soriano, and then you hear all the (boos). That's something that goes with the territory."

Clemens sharp against Phillies
Roger Clemens pitched three solid innings in the Yankees' 10-3 1oss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday night.

Clemens allowed one run and three hits, striking out five and walking one. The six-time Cy Young winner needs seven wins to become the 21st pitcher to reach 300.

"It's just premature to talk about all that," said Clemens, who threw 34 of 50 pitches for strikes. "I think it's just getting out and getting myself ready and together. Once the games get underway, start getting a few wins under my belt and the team's rolling, then it will start getting exciting."

Second baseman Alfonso Soriano did not play because of soreness in his upper right arm. Soriano missed the first three games of spring training with soreness in his right shoulder.

Yankees manager Joe Torre said Soriano would not hit or throw on Friday.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Kevin Brown had his second straight impressive outing Thursday, pitching two scoreless innings and striking out three in the Dodgers' 6-2 loss to the Baltimore Orioles.

Rodrigo Lopez blanked the Dodgers for three innings and the Orioles won by scoring five runs with two outs in the ninth to snap a 1-1 tie.

Brown was limited to 29 starts and 13 wins the last two seasons because of injuries that landed him on the disabled list six times. He was 3-4 with a 4.81 ERA in 17 games last year.

He allowed two hits and no walks four days after pitching a perfect inning with two strikeouts against Houston.

"It wouldn't be unusual to be happy with this if I hadn't been injured,'' he said. "I don't hurt, which is good. My arm feels good, no problems with my back. I feel better than I've felt in quite some time."

Atlanta Braves: Greg Maddux pitched three scoreless innings in his second start of the spring, but the Florida Marlins scored four runs in the eighth inning to beat the Braves 4-1 Thursday.

Josh Beckett tossed three scoreless innings for Florida, allowing two hits. He walked two and struck out two after giving up two runs and five hits in his first spring start.

Maddux, who allowed one hit, has pitched five scoreless innings this spring.

Left-hander Jung Bong, given an outside chance to make the Atlanta roster, pitched two perfect innings.

Tim Spooneybarger, traded from the Braves to the Marlins in the Mike Hampton deal this offseason, struck out three in two perfect innings.

The Marlins got five hits with two outs in the eighth off non-roster invitee Chris Haney. Jesus Medrano hit a two-run single, Gerald Williams had an RBI single and Sherman Obando added an RBI double.

Nick Green, who also doubled, had an RBI single for the Braves in the eighth.

Texas Rangers: Alex Rodriguez and Juan Gonzalez hit back-to-back homers and the Rangers overcame another poor outing by Chan Ho Park to beat the Kansas City Royals 11-8 on Thursday.

Rodriguez drove in five runs, including an RBI groundout in the first and his first spring homer, a three-run shot in the third. Gonzalez followed with his first homer to cap a four-run inning that tied the game at 5.

Park gave up six runs on four hits over 2 2/3 innings. In his first spring start four days earlier, the right-hander allowed five runs on six hits in two innings against Milwaukee.

"No one is happy to give up so many runs, but it's little mistakes,'' Park said. "It's good I have spring training.''

Anaheim Angels: Tim Salmon and Darin Erstad started for the first time this spring as the Angels beat the Oakland Athletics 8-5 Thursday in a split-squad game.

Salmon, who had offseason knee surgery, went 0-for-2 with a walk as the designated hitter. Erstad, coming off hand surgery, was 0-for-2 and played center field.

"My reaction wasn't quite what I wanted,'' said Salmon, who had 22 homers and 88 RBI last year. "But, I felt good. I anticipated that I'd be a bit sore because of playing in spikes. But, you're going to be sore day to day adding things into the mix.''

Scott Schoeneweis, bidding for a return to the Angels' starting rotation, allowed five earned runs in 2 2/3 innings. It was his second shaky start this spring.

Schoeneweis was 6-6 with a 5.38 ERA in 15 starts with the Angels last year and 3-2 in 39 relief appearances. He allowed one hit in his first two innings, then gave up five earned runs and six hits in the third. In his previous start, he gave up four runs in two innings against Colorado.

"You definitely look at past numbers,'' Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "I thought his stuff was good. He changed speeds pretty well.''

St. Louis Cardinals: Albert Pujols hit a grand slam and drove in five runs Thursday, leading the Cardinals over a Montreal Expos' split squad 6-3.

Pujols connected against Javier Vazquez for his second homer this spring and added an RBI groundout.

"This is the third spring I have been here and I still have trouble seeing the ball in this park,'' Pujols said of Roger Dean Stadium. "I don't know what kind of a pitch it was.''

Pujols has hit in all seven games he has played this spring, batting .318 (7-for-22) with three doubles and two homers.

Attendance of 4,052 was the smallest crowd to see the Cardinals play this spring, home or away.

Vazquez gave up five runs and six hits in four innings, striking out five.

Matt Morris allowed two runs and six hits in four innings. Vazquez singled in a run in the third, and Morris gave up doubles by Wil Cordero and Matt Cepicky in the fourth.

"Maybe it was good that I got in some trouble and could work out of the stretch,'' Morris said. "I was just trying to get strikes and work on the count. I just got behind on a few batters.''

Detroit Tigers: Third baseman Dean Palmer expects to play Friday against the New York Mets, and utilityman Dmitri Young hopes to play soon.

Palmer, who hit 101 homers from 1998-2000, had been encouraged by his health after shoulder and neck problems limited him to just four games last year and 57 in 2001.

Palmer also strained his left hamstring after hitting a double last weekend against Cleveland. He said he felt good after going through a workout Thursday morning.

Young, who is being asked to play first base, third base and left field this season, has been troubled by a stiff back since last weekend.

Young was in the lineup Wednesday in a 12-6 victory over Houston, but was scratched from Thursday's game against the Mets because his back was still sore.

"It was a little setback, but it's nothing to be overly concerned about," he said. "I could play very soon, but I want to play it safe, and they want to get a look at a lot of guys."

Catcher Brandon Inge, who hasn't played since spraining his right ankle during batting practice Monday, hopes to play Friday.

Seattle Mariners: Outfield prospect Jamal Strong probably will be sidelined at least three-to-four months because of an injured left shoulder.

Strong, who led the Double-A Texas League with 46 steals last season, was hurt Wednesday while sliding headfirst into third base during a game against Anaheim in Tempe, Ariz. He had his shoulder in a sling Thursday.

"He has an acute dislocation of the shoulder," Seattle medical director Dr. Larry Pedegana said Thursday.

Strong, 24, will have an MRI Friday and probably will need surgery. He was expected to start the season at Triple-A Tacoma.

First-year Mariners manager Bob Melvin was impressed by what he saw of Strong.

"It's too bad,'' Melvin said. "The kid was having a nice camp. He was opening people's eyes."