01:00 AM EST on Tuesday, March 29, 2005

BY SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- In his final spring tuneup before pitching the season opener Sunday, David Wells gave up five runs in five innings yesterday but pronounced himself happy with the outing.

"It's probably the best I've felt, command-wise," Wells said. "I felt like I pitched where I wanted to, but the wind was obviously a factor."

Wells surrendered base hits to four of the first five hitters in the first inning as the Phils grabbed a 3-0 lead. But other than a wind-blown two-run homer from Bobby Abreu in the third, Wells pitched well after that, getting up to 83 pitches.

"He pitched way better than the box score indicated, I think," said manager Terry Francona , "and I think [catcher] Jason (Varitek ) felt the same way."

Wells will throw a side session Thursday in Fort Myers before flying to New York the next day. He's excited as anyone about being the Sox' choice to start the season Sunday night in Yankee Stadium against Randy Johnson. "I'm looking forward to it," he said. "(The Red Sox-Yankee opener) is going to be great for baseball. Two perfect-game pitchers (facing one another) -- that's probably a first . . . an unbelievable stadium . . . the only game that day. I've been thinking a lot about it. I've been fired up since they gave me the nod."

Wells pitched the season opener last year for the San Diego Padres, in his hometown, but otherwise hasn't drawn many Opening Day assignments over his 18-year career.

"It's always an honor," he said. "When you get the nod, it's special."

Schilling to throw today

Curt Schilling will pitch in an afternoon minor-league game today, with the Pawtucket-Indianapolis game shifted from the minor-league complex to City of Palms Park.

Schilling is expected to throw four to five innings, according to Francona, depending on his pitch count.

Schilling will remain in Fort Myers for the next few days, then throw an intrasquad minor-league game Saturday morning at the complex before flying to New York to join his teammates for Opening Night in the Bronx on Sunday.

After the Sox finish their series in New York on Wednesday, April 6, Schilling, trainer Chris Correnti and pitching coach Dave Wallace will fly to Indianapolis for the Triple A opener the next night.

Martinez headed elsewhere

Before the Sox can add non-roster invitee Dave McCarty to the 40-man roster, they will have to take someone off as they are now at the 40-man limit.

Best candidates: Anastacio Martinez , who will likely be either designated for assignment or dealt elsewhere over the next few days.

Slugging it out

Boston won its second straight slugfest, edging the Phillies, 9-5, yesterday.

Philadelphia had a 5-1 lead after five innings, but Kevin Millar 's three-run homer in the sixth keyed the comeback.

In the eighth, with the help of two Phillie errors, the Sox pushed four runs across.

Few are chosen

The Sox will send a rather skelton crew to Tampa today for their last look at the Yankees before the Sunday opener.

Set to travel are: Bill Mueller, Mark Bellhorn, Millar, David Ortiz, and Ramon Vazquez. John Halama -- the scheduled starter -- and Byung-Hyun Kim will be among the pitchers appearing.

Jay Payton , who was set to return after being sidelined since last Thursday, will be held out as a precaution. Payton was hit in the meaty part of his right hand by a pitch from Baltimore's Daniel Cabrera and is still sore, according to Francona.

The manager left little doubt, however, that Payton will be ready for Sunday's opener, when he's set to start in right field against Johnson.

The Yankees will have Johnson pitching a minor-league game today so as to not give the Sox a look at him before the opener.

An early test

If the Sox are going to beat the Minnesota Twins for the Mayor's Cup trophy Thursday in a split-squad contest, they'll have to beat the Twins' best. Cy Young Award-winner Johan Santana will be their starter. The Sox will likely go with a minor leaguer since both Bronson Arroyo and Tim Wakefield will be in Arizona for the Thursday-Friday series against the Diamondbacks.