Correia satisfied with final spring performance

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- In his final spring tuneup before the start of the regular season, right-hander Kevin Correia threw five strong innings against the Red Sox, giving up one run on six hits and a walk with one strikeout.

The lone run scored in the second inning. Mike Napoli led off with a single and went to second when Grady Sizemore walked. With one out, A.J. Pierzynski's double scored Napoli.

Correia's performance went for naught, though, as the Twins fell, 4-1.

"Correia threw the ball very well," said manager Ron Gardenhire. "Changed speeds, used his splitter. We're not swinging, not getting too much offensively. Got to keep swinging. Got a few guys struggling right now, and we've got to get them swinging. Like to see a few hits before we start."

The outing was Correia's final one before facing the White Sox in Chicago on April 2. In four spring outings, spanning 17 innings, he gave up nine runs on 19 hits and two walks with three strikeouts.

After throwing 66 pitches on Thursday, 45 for strikes, Correia was satisfied.

"I was able to get six innings in my start before this, so I wasn't really pressed to go deep into the game," Correia said. "I just wanted to get a decent amount of pitches. We've got an extra day [on Tuesday] after the start of the season. I just wanted to get through that last start healthy and happy."

Correia, entering his second season with the Twins, went 9-13 with a 4.18 ERA in 2013. He led the team in wins, innings pitched (185 1/3) and starts (31), and tied for first in strikeouts (101).