Baseball's long season is just beginning.

The Astros travelled from their winter home in Kissimmee, Florida to Winter Haven to play the Cleveland Indians in their first game of the Grapefruit League this year.

The Astros dropped their Grapefruit League opener.

Pitchers Wandy Rodriguez and Mark McLemore pitched scoreless innings early on, but the Indians jumped all over the bullpen in the late innings, winning easily, 12 to 2.

It was a matter of not throwing strikes for the pitchers, the Astros walked 10.

"I'm not a happy camper," said Cooper, a former major leaguer and baseball lifer who served as Houston's interim manager last year following Phil Garner's firing. "We talked about not walking guys. We had a couple situations where we walked two guys in a row. That shouldn't happen. These guys are major leaguers."

The Astros didn't swing the bats much better. Houston didn't get its first hit until the sixth when Michael Bourn led off with a single.

One of Houston's few bright spots was starter Wandy Rodriguez, who struck out three in two scoreless innings.

"Mucho frio," Rodriguez said, blowing into his hands before talking about his start outside Houston's clubhouse.

The left-hander was pleased with his control and location. And although he'll likely open the season as Houston's No. 2 or 3 starter, Rodriguez is taking nothing for granted and doesn't feel his spot is assured.

"That's good," Cooper said. "That shows he wants to improve."

The spring's first road trip allowed the Astros a brief escape from the Roger Clemens sideshow going on at their camp in Kissimmee. Clemens has been working with the club's minor leaguers, but his 10-year personal services contract with the club could be affected by an FBI investigation into whether he lied to Congress about using steroids.

Notes:@ The teams play again Friday in Kissimmee with Cleveland's Paul Byrd starting against Roy Oswalt. ... The Astros kept several starters back in Kissimmee, including SS Miguel Tejada, 2B Kaz Matsui, LF Carlos Lee and 1B Lance Berkman.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.