PHOENIX - Carl Pavano made his debut for the Cleveland Indians, working two perfect innings in a 1-0 loss to the Oakland Athletics on Saturday.
A bust in New York where he spent most of four years on the disabled list, Pavano signed a one-year, free-agent deal with Cleveland. He has impressed his new manager so far.
"Carl threw the ball well," Wedge said. "He's been very consistent this spring. It's early. We've got a long way to, but it's nice to see him get out there. A lot of guys are throwing the ball well. That's good to see."
Pavano is taking it slow this spring.
"Up to this point, I've been working on my fastball command," Pavano said. "It's been a little inconsistent, but I kept it down. My secondary pitches are a little behind, but I'm working on those. This is just one step in getting ready for the season."
Indians' pitchers took a no-hitter into the seventh inning before Ryan Sweeney and Chris Denorfia hit back-to-back doubles leading off the inning against Edward Mujica. Pavano, Scott Lewis, and Rafael Perez each threw two hitless innings.
A's starter Dallas Braden also pitched two perfect innings - with the flulike virus that has hit the Oakland clubhouse hard.
"I got it," he said. "Jerry Blevins is my roomy and he's been sick the last two days. It's no big deal."
The A's have been sending players home with the illness - nicknamed The Crud - including Blevins, which saps energy.
The 25-year-old left-handed Braden is also pitching with a sinus condition that makes it impossible for him to breathe out of his nose. The problem began this winter and he will have corrective surgery in the offseason. In the meantime he continues with treatment.
As for his first outing of the spring, "Efficiency was the key," he said. "Get in there and get out."
Braden has developed a cutter and put aside his slider for the time being, courtesy of some advice from Russ Springer, who worked on the grip with him.
"I throw a fastball in that cuts a little but that's involuntary," Braden said. "Now I'm consciously throwing it. Russ Springer is such a valuable resource with his experience that if he puts his cleats on a certain way I want to know about it."
Matt LaPorta got Cleveland's first hit, a single off Jeff Gray with two outs in the fifth.
Trevor Cahill, Andrew Bailey, Chris Schroder, Jared Lansford and Tyson Ross also contributed to the three-hitter.
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