01:00 AM EST on Tuesday, March 23, 2004

Odalis Perez wanted to be nearly perfect against Curt Schilling and the Red Sox.

Perez met the challenge by pitching five scoreless innings yesterday in Vero Beach, Fla., as the Dodgers topped the Red Sox, 3-2, in front of 7,863 fans, the largest Holman Stadium crowd in 12 years.

"When you're pitching against a guy like Schilling, if you give up more than one run, you have the expectation of losing the game," said Perez, who allowed three hits while walking none and striking out five.

Perez has given up one run in 15 innings this spring.

Schilling was nearly as effective, allowing one run and four hits in 5 2/3 innings while striking out four and walking one.

The Dodgers got their run off Schilling in the second when Jolbert Cabrera beat out a bunt, took third on a single by Luis Garcia and scored on Jose Hernandez' infield out.

Schilling, acquired from Arizona during the offseason, said he benefited from his familiarity with the Dodgers.

"There were about six or seven guys in their lineup I knew really well," Schilling said. "So we had a chance to go over what we should do before the game, then we could go out and execute it."

Game notes

Bubba Trammell and Koyie Hill added RBI singles in the seventh off Frank Castillo for a 3-0 lead. Mark Bellhorn and Michael Hernandez hit RBI singles against Rick White in the ninth. . . . N.L. Cy Young Award winner Eric Gagne pitched a scoreless sixth with two strikeouts. Gagne allowed his first hit in seven innings this spring when Johnny Damon rapped a leadoff single.

They packed them in

The Red Sox, making their first visit to Vero Beach since 1992, attracted a crowd that was mostly rooting for the visiting team. It was Holman Stadium's largest attendance since 8,418 watched the Dodgers play the New York Mets in 1992.

"Guys still aren't tuned completely," Dodgers catcher Paul Lo Duca said. "But with the full crowd here and the people enjoying the game here, it was more like a regular-season game."

Shumpert's hopes dim

The timing couldn't have been worse for Terry Shumpert. Shumpert suffered a mild hamstring strain in the ninth innning against Baltimore, which is expected to sideline him for about a week.

The injury comes at a time when Shumpert is battling for a roster spot. The injury to Trot Nixon (back) has opened up one more roster spot than expected, but Shumpert will be unable to compete for the job until early next week, just days before the Sox break camp.

Like Tony Womack, who was dealt to St. Louis Sunday by the Sox, Shumpert has a clause in his contract that enables him to go elsewhere if the Sox don't purchase his minor-league contract by March 30.

Learning from a legend

Pokey Reese, who has missed a handful of games with flu-like symptoms, worked out in Fort Myers while the Sox traveled across the state to play the Dodgers.

Reese and fellow infielder Cesar Crespo got a tutorial on bunting from Red Sox instructor Johnny Pesky, remaining on the field long after others had finished their workouts.

Mueller to rest up

Red Sox third baseman Bill Mueller, who hyperextended his elbow while swinging a weighted bat Saturday, will probably return to the lineup later this week.

Mueller is expected to remain out of the lineup today when the Sox host Tampa Bay at home.

Sean McAdam contributed to this report.