GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Gregorio Petit launched a pair of home runs Wednesday afternoon, helping power the Angels to a 6-3 Cactus League victory over the Indians at Goodyear Ballpark.
Both of Petit's blasts -- his only shots of the spring -- came off Tribe right-hander Cody Anderson, who logged four innings in his ongoing bid to win a spot in Cleveland's rotation. Anderson yielded a leadoff shot to Petit in the second inning and later allowed a two-run blast to the Angels' non-roster bench candidate in the fourth inning.
"He can put a charge into one every once in a while, got two fastballs," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said of Petit.
"This guy's just really good at defending at three positions. He really brings some experience, and it's good to see him swing the bat this afternoon.''
Anderson was charged with six runs (four earned) on four hits in his fourth outing of Spring Training. Three of those runs came in the first inning, when Los Angeles capitalized after shortstop Francisco Lindor began the game with a throwing error on a grounder from Yunel Escobar. Anderson later gave up a two-run double to Kole Calhoun to help the Angels take an early 3-0 lead.
"You know what? Two of the innings he got first-pitch-of-the-inning ground balls and we didn't convert," Indians manager Terry Francona said of Anderson's outing.
"Two errors. So, you take those two off the board. ... But, his velocity's good and he's holding velocity. I did think he was up [in the strike zone] today more than he's been."
The Indians answered with a pair of home runs in the home half of the first, when Jason Kipnis and Mike Napoli each went deep off Halos righty Nick Tropeano. It marked the first long ball of the spring for Kipnis and the third in Cactus League play for Napoli, who signed with the Tribe over the offseason.
"When he hits the ball like that, that to me is when he's at his best," Francona said of Kipnis' opposite-field shot. "He can backspin that ball to left-center about as good as anybody in this game. That's a good sign."
Outfield candidate Will Venable also knocked in a run for Cleveland.
With C.J. Wilson and Jered Weaver dealing with health isues, Tropeano is well positioned to open the season in the Angels' rotation. Against the Indians, he gave up three runs on four hits in four innings, in which he struck out two and walked none.
Up next for Angels:Hector Santiago will make his fourth start of the spring as the Angels travel to Scottsdale to take on the Rockies on Thursday for a 1:10 p.m. PT start. Geovany Soto, who has been fighting arm fatigue, is also expected to return to the lineup. The game can be seen on MLB.TV.
Up next for Indians: Right-hander Danny Salazar, who has 14 strikeouts in nine Cactus League innings this spring, is scheduled to make his fourth start in a 4:05 p.m. ET tilt against the Reds on Thursday at Goodyear Ballpark. After a day off Wednesday, outfielder Rajai Davis should be back in the lineup for the Tribe. The game can be heard on an exclusive MLB.com webcast.