FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) - Bret Saberhagen pitched two scoreless innings in his first outing against major league hitters since 1999, highlighting Boston's 6-1 win over the Minnesota Twins on Saturday.

Saberhagen underwent reconstructive surgery on his right shoulder after the 1999 season. He has pitched in the minors and spent most of his time in rehabilitation after the operation.

Saberhagen allowed two hits and walked none, reaching 91 mph on the radar gun.

Afterward, he said the outing was pain-free.

"It really couldn't have gone any better," he said.

The Red Sox hit four solo home runs and also turned a triple play.

Boston took a 4-0 lead on home runs by Dante Bichette and Scott Hatteberg, and RBI singles by Chris Stynes and Trot Nixon.

Stynes and Nixon hit consecutive home runs in the fourth.

Corey Koskie hit a home run for Minnesota.

The Red Sox made a triple play in the seventh. With Denny Hocking on first and Jeff Smith on second, Cristian Guzman hit a line drive to shortstop Lou Merloni.

Merloni knocked it down, but the runners thought he caught the ball and stopped. Merloni tagged Hocking, then second base, and threw to first.

Notes: Red Sox pitcher David Cone threw for the fourth straight day Saturday, tossing from about 60 feet, and said it was the best he's felt so far. But he added he's not quite ready for mound work. Cone has been sidelined with a sore shoulder since March 13... Twins second baseman Luis Rivas barehanded a grounder up the middle in the first, though he missed getting the out because of a low throw... Rivas later threw out Hatteberg at the plate on a relay throw from right.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/2001/20010324/recap/minbos.html

The bats keep trucking right along with four more homers, which puts the spring total to almost 40! As much as I say Spring Training numbers are meaningless, it's great to see the guys hitting the ball hard.

paul@redsox2000.com