MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Judging from his first day of work in the American League, Bernard Gilkey is probably going to enjoy his new home.

Gilkey, signed earlier in the day as a free agent after 10 years in the National League, hit a home run, double and single and tied a career-high with four RBI Tuesday night as the Boston Red Sox beat the Minnesota Twins 14-4.

	He's played only one game for the Red Sox, but newly signed Bernard Gilkey is hitting .750 for them.

Gilkey was hitting .110 in 38 games before he was let go by the Arizona Diamondbacks. He was in a 2-for-48 slump when he was designated for assignment June 24, a victim of a crowded Arizona outfield.

Red Sox manager Jimy Williams said Gilkey, who joined the team Sunday in Chicago, where he worked with hitting coach Jim Rice, showed no signs of rust even though he last played June 21.

"That's the first time I've seen him play in quite awhile," Williams said.

Gilkey singled in the second inning, doubled in the third and homered in the fourth. Needing a triple for the cycle, Gilkey grounded out in the seventh. He left the game in the eighth.

He said the knowledge that he would play the entire game helped him relax and start to resemble the player who hit .317 with 30 homers, 117 RBI and 108 runs scored in 1996 with the New York Mets.

"Tonight, I knew I was going up to the plate four times. I had been accustomed to playing every day," he said. "With the limited at-bats, it got tough."

Knuckleballer Tim Wakefield (4-5) won his second straight start since being moved into the rotation June 29. In only his fifth start this season -- he has 24 relief appearances -- Wakefield pitched six innings, giving up three runs and three hits.

"I really enjoy pitching in the Dome," Wakefield said. "I think the ball moves well inside."

Twins hitters said they were befuddled by Wakefield's knuckler.

"Wakefield -- he had it dancing most of the night," said Denny Hocking, who was 1-for-5. "Each time you go up, you have to readjust. He pitched well."

Carl Everett had three hits for the Red Sox and Troy O'Leary hit his 100th career home run.

O'Leary put the Red Sox up 11-1 in the fourth with his 388-foot shot to right-center. It was his second homer in two days after going 31 games without connecting.

Eric Milton (8-3) lasted just three innings, giving up seven runs on nine hits and a walk.

"I didn't leave a lot of pitches out over the plate," Milton said. "They did some good hitting."

In four career decisions against the Red Sox, Milton has given up 26 earned runs in 28 innings for an 8.36 ERA. He had been 6-1 with a 2.63 ERA in his last eight starts.

Boston broke open the game in the fourth against Jason Ryan, scoring five times on four straight extra-base hits.

The Red Sox went ahead 5-1 in the second with four consecutive hits to start the inning. O'Leary singled and Jason Varitek doubled him home.

After Gilkey singled, Manny Alexander hit a 360-foot homer, his first since July 31, 1998.

Bryce Florie pitched the last three innings for his first save.

David Ortiz doubled twice and scored two runs for the Twins.

Game notes
Williams said Wakefield would remain in the rotation at least through Sunday, when he will start against the Braves. ... Ryan has given up 13 earned runs in 8 1/3 innings this season, for a 14.04 ERA. He was 7-0 with a 4.18 ERA in 13 starts at Triple-A Salt Lake before being called up. ... Alexander's last home run came for the Chicago Cubs. ... Twins pitchers didn't have a 1-2-3 inning until Johan Santana retired Boston in order in the sixth. ... Twins second baseman Jay Canizaro, who left in the eighth inning of Monday's game with a strained back, didn't play. He said he was day-to-day.