WINTER HAVEN, FLA.: If there's an early leader in the race to become the Indians' No. 5 starter, it's the left-hander who started in a 4-2, 10-inning loss to the Tigers on Tuesday at Chain O'Lakes Park.

Cliff Lee turned in four scoreless innings, giving up three hits (one a bunt) and one walk while striking out five.

''Cliff was better from inning to inning,'' manager Eric Wedge said. ''He did a much better job with his fastball. Because of that, his secondary pitches were better.

''He also did a decent job of coming back when he was down in the count. More important, he pitched ahead most of the time and threw strike one.''

Lee doesn't want to think about the competition with Jeremy Sowers and Aaron Laffey.

''I'm not getting caught up in the battle for a spot,'' he said. ''That's a question for Wedgie and Mark (Shapiro). If I was making the decision, I'd have the spot. But it's not my decision to make.''

Whoever wins the job won't necessarily be the guy who has the best numbers in exhibition games. Wedge will take other factors into consideration, such as track record and how well a pitcher is throwing, regardless of results.

Lee is ahead right now on points. Laffey and Sowers have each pitched three times. Laffey has given up eight runs, five hits and nine walks in four innings; Sowers has yielded eight runs, 11 hits and one walk in four innings.

In three outings, Lee has allowed two runs, seven hits and three walks in 52/3 innings.

Taking the lead

Until the game against the Tigers, the Tribe had 12 home runs — one each by 12 players. Grady Sizemore became the first Indians batter with two homers, both of them hit Tuesday.

''Grady is a fantastic player, an all-around player,'' Wedge said. ''He works hard every single day to get better.''

On the practice fields

C.C. Sabathia threw 65 pitches in a minor-league intrasquad game.

''Everything feels good,'' he said. ''I'll be out there in five days again.''

Why didn't Sabathia pitch against the Tigers? Maybe because Tribe operatives don't want Detroit hitters to see him any more than necessary, inasmuch as the teams play one another 19 times during the season.

''Maybe that's why, probably,'' Sabathia said.

Masa Kobayashi and Rafael Perez also threw in the intrasquad game.

Blunder

Andy Marte's two errors Tuesday are excusable, but what wasn't excused was letting a popped bunt purposely drop in front of him with runners on first and second, thinking he could turn a double play.

The ball didn't bounce away from him, always a possibility, but with runners moving, he had no chance at second and barely got the batter at first. Had Marte caught the ball, at worst he would have preserved the double play and possibly doubled off a runner at second or first.

''I talked to him already,'' Wedge said. ''He should have caught the ball.''

Marching onward

The Tribe travels to the Disney complex in Lake Buena Vista to play the Braves at 7 tonight.

Brian Slocum will start against Buddy Carlyle. Following Slocum to the mound will be Rafael Betancourt, Aaron Fultz, Jensen Lewis, Scott Elarton, Tom Mastny, Jorge Julio and Jeff Stevens.