FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) – Most of Matt Clement’s spring training statistics are mediocre. Then there’s the number of walks he’s issued.

Zero.

The Red Sox right-hander, who struggled with his control for much of his career, pitched the first four innings Sunday and allowed no walks for his third straight outing in Boston’s 4-2 loss to the Minnesota Twins.

“I’m pretty excited about that, and that’s also without overusing my out pitch,” Clement said.

That’s his slider. He’s preferred to work on his weaker pitches in spring training, even if it means giving up more hits. So far, he’s had the discipline to resist throwing the slider too much – even when he’s in trouble.

“This time of spring I’m not usually the sharpest, but I’m throwing a lot of strikes,” Clement said. “Maybe that’s the reason I’m giving up a few more hits right now, but to be able to throw strikes with my fastball … that’s going to make me better.”

In his longest exhibition appearance this year, Clement allowed three runs on seven hits with five strikeouts on 67 pitches Sunday. In his three starts, all against Minnesota, he’s given up five runs on 12 hits with eight strikeouts in nine innings.

“I’m just happy I was able to throw a lot of strikes, pitch four innings and still feel like I could have kept going,” he said. “It’s spring and I’m still getting there, but I feel great.”

His pitches show good movement. That helps if hitters swing and miss and hurts if they wait for the ball to move out of the strike zone.

But Clement’s walks have decreased since he issued 125 in 205 innings in 2000 with San Diego. He walked 85 in each of the next two years, 79 in 2003 and 77 in 2004.

“You don’t go from walking 100 to walking 18 in one year,” he said. “You have to take baby steps. The important thing for me is I’m trying to every year cut that down but, more so, just command my stuff and be ahead in the count. … I’m not obsessed with my walks.”

He hopes that working with veteran catchers Jason Varitek and Doug Mirabelli will help him continue that trend by encouraging him to throw pitches other than the slider.

“It shows how good our catchers are in calling the game and giving me the confidence to throw those pitches when I might not have in the past,” Clement said.

The Red Sox signed him in the offseason from the Chicago Cubs and he’s worked more in spring training than the other free agent pitchers Boston obtained. David Wells made his first appearance Saturday and Wade Miller doesn’t expect to pitch until May.

Curt Schilling, who underwent offseason ankle surgery, may not be ready for opening day either on April 3. He’s scheduled to throw about 60 pitches to batters on Wednesday and hasn’t pitched in a game yet.

“Wednesday’s a big day for him,” manager Terry Francona said. “We’ll see how it goes. He may not be ready” to pitch in a game by the weekend.

If Schilling misses time in the regular season, that would make Clement more important. Clement also should pitch better than he has because he would have no hesitation to use his slider.

“I might throw a lot of them the next game because you can’t forget about the pitch. I’ve got to make sure it’s ready, too,” he said.

So far, though, Francona is pleased.

“He feels real comfortable with his breaking ball, which is great,” although he needs to work on his fastball, Francona said. “I think it’s coming. He went through four innings. He made some really good pitches.”

Notes:New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick watched Saturday’s game against Tampa Bay and visited Francona in the manager’s office but didn’t talk to the Red Sox. “I didn’t want to put him in a position where he’s uncomfortable,” Francona said Sunday. He also said the coach of the Super Bowl champions hasn’t asked him to talk to the Patriots. “I don’t blame him,” Francona said. … The Red Sox plan to make their first roster cuts Monday. … John Halama will start Monday’s game against Baltimore at Fort Lauderdale and could go four innings. Among regulars making the trip are Varitek, Manny Ramirez, Trot Nixon, Mark Bellhorn, Kevin Youkilis and Jay Payton.

AP-ES-03-13-05 1754EST