FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) – Melvin Mora hit a two-run homer, Kris Benson allowed one run in four innings and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Boston Red Sox 3-1 Wednesday.

Mora, who is negotiating with the Orioles for a contract extension, had three hits and gave Benson a 2-0 lead with his first home run of the spring, a third-inning shot off loser David Pauley.

If the contract talks are bothering Mora, who is batting .355, Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo hasn’t noticed.

“He’s his usual jovial self,” Perlozzo said.

Benson allowed four hits, walked none and struck out three.

Pauley used an Orioles baserunning mistake to escape a jam in the first and stranded Jeff Conine after a leadoff double in the second. But with two outs in the third, he gave up a single to Eddie Rogers and Mora’s drive that caromed off the left-field foul pole.

Pauley allowed two runs on six hits over four innings.

Boston got within 2-1 in the fourth on Kevin Youkilis’ double to the gap in left-center. Desi Relaford’s RBI double in the seventh off reliever Phil Seibel gave Baltimore an insurance run.

“I thought his fastball – and I don’t know about the velocity – showed a little more finish on it,” Boston manager Terry Francona said of Seibel, who missed the 2005 season following ligament replacement surgery.

Orioles relievers allowed only two hits in five innings, with Chris Ray pitching a perfect ninth for the save.

Boston has lost five straight games, while the Orioles have won three of four.

AP-ES-03-15-06 1848EST