Braves’ Wohlers Has a Good Game

Mark Wohlers showed a glimpse of his old form, retiring three of four batters as he pitched a scoreless inning for Atlanta against the New York Mets at Kissimmee, Fla.

Wohlers entered in the third inning and gave up a single to right field by Mike Piazza, then retired John Olerud and Craig Paquette on grounders and Robin Ventura on a fly out. Wohlers threw 11 fastballs and one slider.

Catcher Javy Lopez was impressed.

“Compared to last year, this is a big, big, big improvement,” Lopez said. “He’s starting to get his confidence back. . . .”

Manager Bobby Cox also was pleased. In his first outing, Wohlers gave up four earned runs in an inning against Houston last Friday.

“It’s a great hope right now,” Cox said. “You really didn’t know what to expect. He’s not that far away from getting good. He was throwing plenty hard.”

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Cub closer Rod Beck will be out at least two weeks because of a bulging disc in his back. A team spokeswoman said she’s not sure how the injury occurred and no surgery is planned.

Beck, 30, was 3-4 with a 3.02 earned-run average and a team-record 51 saves in a National League-leading 81 games last season.

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Cleveland re-signed utility infielder Enrique Wilson to a one-year contract, leaving pitcher Bartolo Colon as the only unsigned player on the team’s 40-man roster. . . . As expected, the San Diego Padres signed closer Trevor Hoffman to a four-year contract worth at least $32 million. The contract includes a team option for the 2004 season worth $10 million with a $2-million buyout. . . . Paul Konerko went three for three and drove in five runs as the Chicago White Sox beat the Colorado Rockies, 6-0, in a split-squad game.