01:00 AM EST on Monday, March 22, 2004

BY SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- The last time Bronson Arroyo faced the Baltimore Orioles, they racked him for four runs in the first inning and two more in the second.

Yesterday represented a big improvement for the lanky righty, who limited the O's to a single run over four innings, allowing four hits in a 4-2, Boston victory.

"This was the best I've felt all spring," said Arroyo. "I'm starting to get in shape to handle the longer innings, and I felt stronger than I did in my previous two innings."

Even though Arroyo bounced back nicely after the Baltimore debacle on March 11, tossing three shutout innings against Cincinnati five days later, it was good to bounce back against the Orioles.

"It think it was definitely important," Arroyo said. "I'm going to face these guys this coming year and if they bash me around in spring training, it makes their hitters have more confidence. You like to have that psychological edge going into the season."

Arroyo said he was pleased by the news that he would be the Sox' starter in the home opener April 9 against Toronto.

"For (Terry Francona) to give me that opportunity to pitch in front of that crowd, which is definitely going to be buzzing that day, is a vote of confidence," Arroyo said.

Next on the agenda: building up his pitch count and getting better command of his fastball.

Womack dealt

The Sox shipped infielder Tony Womack to the St. Louis Cardinals for pitcher Matt Duff. Womack, who underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow last summer, had a clause in his contract that would have allowed him to become a free agent on March 31 if the Sox didn't include him on their major league roster.

The Sox and Womack also had disagreed on how quickly to allow Womack to return to the field.

"He was probably going to leave for another organization that would give him a chance to play sooner," said GM Theo Epstein. "Our medical opinion was to take a conservative approach until next month. We didn't want to stand in the way of his career and when it was clear the Cardinals had a different medical view, we did the best we could for him."

Duff, 29, who appeared in seven games for St. Louis last season but spent most of the year at Triple A, will report to the Sox' minor-league camp and give Pawtucket some bullpen depth.

Off on the right foot

Frank Brooks' first appearance with the Red Sox was an efficient one, as he needed just seven pitches to get three outs in the eighth.

He recorded three pop-ups and allowed a ground-ball single.

Brooks was claimed on waivers from the Oakland A's Friday and reported to camp Saturday before making his Boston debut.

"He got his feet wet," said Francona. "We'll keep running him out there and see how he does. With just seven pitches, it was hard to get a read today."

As a Rule V draft pick, the Sox must make a quick evaluation in the next two weeks, but Brooks said he felt no pressure to make an impression.

"I'm not going to try to do anything different," he said. "I feel like I can do whatever they want me to -- start, relieve, carry around a bucket."

Around the horn

Nick Bierbrodt, who was outrighted to minor-league camp earlier in the week, elected free agency and has left the organization . . . Infielders Pokey Reese and Mark Bellhorn, both of whom battled the flu last week, have been cleared to return to action today in Vero Beach . . . Third baseman Bill Mueller, having strained his elbow swinging a weighted bat Saturday, was given yesterday off. He could be back in the lineup today . . . David McCarty, who's seen his pitching experiment curtailed some, will throw in a minor-league game sometime this week . . . The victory was the fourth in the last five games for the Sox.