BRADENTON, Fla. - Jason Bay can't remember when 40 batting-practice swings felt so good.

On Friday, Bay swung against a pitcher for the first time since bruising a bone in his left wrist March 8, an injury that forced the NL rookie of the year to miss most of the Pirates' exhibition schedule.

Bay is confident he'll be ready for the April 4 opener, though he might play in a couple of days' worth of minor league gams before facing major league pitching again.

Earlier this week, Bay took part in soft toss drills in which he hit baseballs into a net, but was told to stay away from the batting cages. He bypassed the cages on Friday to hit pitches thrown off the McKechnie Field mound by batting coach Gerald Perry, homering at least twice.

"I felt great," said Bay, whose left wrist remains heavily wrapped. "As much as you want to simulate hitting (in a cage), it's better being out on the field. I'm very encouraged."

So was manager Lloyd McClendon, who said, "I thought his bat speed was pretty good."

The outfielder has been eager to get back on the field, and was starting to feel restless - especially after missing 2004 spring training and the first month of the season following shoulder surgery.

Rather than making him cautious, that injury layoff has motivated Bay to get back as soon as possible.

"I couldn't do this if I was holding back," said Bay, who also shagged some fly balls during his morning workout.

There was no holding backleft-hander Oliver Perez, either.Perez, bothered earlier by left shoulder stiffness, limited the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to one run and three hits over five innings Friday in a 6-2 Pirates victory in St. Petersburg, Fla.Previously, the Pirates' designated opening day starter had worked only five innings all spring against major league competition, giving up seven runs and six hits.Manager Lloyd McClendon pronounced him physically ready after Perez worked four innings last Sunday against the Red Sox, but Friday's start was the first time Perez resembled the pitcher who was 12-10 with a 2.98 ERA and 239 strikeouts last season."Right now, I feel ready for the opening of the season," Perez said. "My arm feels ready, my arm feels real good. I'm not trying to do too much, just get ready for my next game."McClendon made one change by having Benito Santiago catch Perez rather than Humberto Cota, who caught nearly all of Perez's games last season. Cota is expected to be Perez's primary catcher."I feel confident because he knows the batters," Perez said of the 40-year-old Santiago. "I can throw to any catcher. I have to be ready for both of them."Despite the shoulder problem, Perez has felt much more comfortable this spring than he did a year ago. Then, he was so erratic the Pirates debated whether to keep him in the rotation.McClendon has said repeatedly Perez "can be something special" if he maintains his work habits, keeps improving his changeup and stays healthy."He continues to impress," McClendon said. "It was a good day for him."---

First baseman Daryle Ward has been held out for several days because of a muscle strain in his left side, but said the injury isn't serious."I just want to be careful," Ward said. "It's not that I can't play, I can, I just don't think it's that important for me to play and risk injuring it even more. I'm just going to take it easy and see if it calms down."McClendon sounded more worried, saying, "I'm a little concerned because they can't get the soreness out."With Ward sidelined, minor leaguer Graham Koonce started at first base the last two days.