FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) – Erik Bedard’s first outing since he was chosen to start on opening day for the Baltimore Orioles showed he was an excellent choice.

The left-hander held Boston hitless for 4 2-3 innings before Jason Varitek broke out of a slump with a solo homer that helped the Red Sox win 3-2 Friday. Bedard allowed one hit, struck out eight and walked two but wasn’t thrilled with his outing. Several balls were hit to the warning track for outs, including a leap by left fielder Freddie Bynum that robbed J.D. Drew of a possible homer.

“I got away with some homers that should have been,” Bedard said. “My location was fine.”

That didn’t diminish the Red Sox praise for Bedard, who was 15-11 with a 4.52 ERA last year and has allowed nine hits in 19 exhibition innings with a 0.95 ERA.

“He’s impressive,” manager Terry Francona said. “He’s got some ways to attack a hitter.”

Varitek, who struck out in his other at bat against Bedard, said he “had some great stuff today, all his pitches and good velocity, good tilt, good sinkers, good cutters, everything.”

Boston also went with its opening day starter, and Curt Schilling pitched a solid seven innings. He allowed consecutive RBI doubles in the fourth to Jay Gibbons and Kevin Millar but finished with six strikeouts while giving up six hits and no walks.

“I feel very good about where I’m at,” Schilling said. “I certainly feel I’m far ahead of where I was last year.”

He has one more appearance, next Wednesday night against Minnesota, before pitching making the seventh opening day start of his career at Kansas City on April 2.

“It really is something that is much less of a big deal after opening day,” the 40-year-old Schilling said. “After opening day, it’s irrelevant, but I’ve always looked at it as very much an honor.”

It’s something I’m very proud to do.”

Bedard, 28, will be starting his first season opener April 2 against Minnesota’s Cy Young award winner, Johan Santana.

“I’m glad, but it’s only the first game of the season,” Bedard said. “Then you don’t pitch against the other team’s No. 1 after that, or rarely.”

Varitek finally swung the bat well after finishing last season with a career-low .238 batting average and coming into the game with just two singles in 25 spring training at bats.

“I took good swings today,” he said. “I think I’m going to be just fine.”

Boston tied the game in the eighth on Eric Hinske’s RBI groundout and won it on Kevin Cash’s run-scoring single in the ninth, one of the team’s four hits.

Notes:The Red Sox made two roster moves, optioning OF David Murphy to Triple-A Pawtucket and sending non-roster 1B Jeff Bailey to their minor-league camp. … Boston is 4-0-1 in its last five games.

AP-ES-03-23-07 1728EDT