BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) _ Pat Meares went 4-for-4 with three RBIs and hit two of Pittsburgh's seven home runs Thursday as the Pirates beat the Boston Red Sox 14-11.

Meares also tripled as he raised his spring batting average to .516 (16-for-31). He has three homers after being limited to just 21 games last season because of surgery on his left hand.

``This was just one of those Florida days at McKechnie Field where the wind was blowing and took everything right out of the park,'' Meares said. ``I don't put a whole lot of stock in this. It's nice to get some hits but spring training really doesn't matter. None of this starts counting until April 3, when we start playing for real.''

Kevin Young, starting pitcher Todd Ritchie, John Vander Wal, Bruce Aven and Keith Osik also homered for the Pirates. Aven's shot was a grand slam in the fourth inning. Israel Alcantara homered for Boston.

Luis Sojo had three hits for Pittsburgh, while Aven had two hits and four RBIs, Vander Wal had two hits and two RBIs.

Nomar Garciaparra had three hits for the Red Sox. Alcantara had two hits and two RBIs for Boston, while Darren Lewis, Jeff Frye and Mike Stanley also had two hits apiece.

Boston had 19 hits and Pittsburgh had 17.

Chris Peters won in relief, giving up one run in one inning. It was Peters' first appearance following shoulder surgery in November. Loser Rich Garces was tagged for six runs _ five earned _ in two-thirds of an inning.

Neither starter was effective on a day when the wind was gusting out to center field. Ritchie allowed five runs _ four earned _ on eight hits in three innings. Boston's Jeff Fassero was tagged for six runs and seven hits, including four homers, in three innings.

Dave Pavlas got the final out, fanning Dernell Stenson with the bases loaded, for the save.

Pittsburgh went ahead for good with a seven-run fourth that snapped a 6-6 tie. Vander Wal started the inning with a pinch homer off Garces. Aven's slam made it 11-6 before another run scored on center fielder Michael Coleman's error. Vander Wal capped the outburst with an RBI double.