VERO BEACH, Fla. (AP) – Before a crowd liberally sprinkled with Boston Red Sox fans, manager Grady Little called the shots from the dugout, Derek Lowe pitched four scoreless innings and Nomar Garciaparra contributed to Thursday’s 6-4 victory – by the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The game drew the biggest crowd at Vero Beach this spring, about 8,090.

Many were Boston fans excited not only to watch their team, but to see former Red Sox such as Little, Lowe, Garciaparra, Bill Mueller and Aaron Sele, although the latter two didn’t play.

Little, Lowe and Garciaparra all downplayed the significance of facing the Red Sox.

“It’s not really the same team,” Lowe said. “It starts at the top and there’s no Johnny (Damon). If we ever go back to Fenway it might be exciting, but not in spring training.”

Garciaparra was happy about the reception he got from the many Red Sox fans.

“It just shows that they respect what I did when I was there and that’s nice,” he said. “I’ve always appreciated the fans in Boston. When I was signing autographs, I just reminded them to make sure they visit the gift shop and pick up something in a nice blue color.”

Lowe, who allowed his first two hits of the spring, did not walk a batter and struck out four as he won for the second time.

In seven innings this spring, he has yet to give up a run, striking out eight without surrendering a walk.

“You just want to go out there and make your 50 pitches and get the best quality you can out of them,” Lowe said. “You can’t put too much stock in spring training, but you want to get on a roll early.”

Little thinks Lowe is setting up well for the regular season.

“Outstanding,” Little said. “He just getting his work in and getting ready for a big season.”

To stay on schedule, Lowe will pitch in a minor league game on Tuesday, a day off for the Dodgers.

Outfielder Cody Ross, who entered the game in the bottom of the first inning when center fielder Kenny Lofton was hit by a Bronson Arroyo pitch, hit his third home run of spring training, a two-run drive in the second inning. Lofton bruised his right knee and is day to day.

Arroyo gave up five runs, five hits and two walks in two innings.

J.D. Drew and Ramon Martinez also homered for Los Angeles. Drew went 2-for-3. Jeff Kent, recovering from offseason surgery on his right wrist, started his first game at second base this spring. He went 0-for-2 but started a 4-6-3 double play in the fourth inning.

AP-ES-03-09-06 1906EST