DUNEDIN, Fla. — Back on the field, Alex Rodriguez was able to put aside the steroids scandal.

At least for a little while.

Booed and taunted by opposing fans in the Yankees' spring training opener, Rodriguez homered and drew two walks yesterday in a 6-1 exhibition victory over Toronto.

Rodriguez then got into an SUV that, according to the New York Post's Web site, was driven by Yuri Sucart — the person identified as the cousin who provided Rodriguez with performance-enhancing drugs.

Yankees spokesman Jason Zillo said he could not confirm the identity of the driver.

It was Rodriguez's first game since admitting he took banned drugs from 2001-03 with Texas. He left after drawing a walk in the fifth inning, and signed autographs for five minutes before calling it a day.

"This is what I do. I know how to play baseball," Rodriguez said. "I just hope that's the start of something really special for this year. I feel really good about our team."

There were lots of cheers for the three-time AL MVP, a smattering of boos and occasional catcalls from the crowd of 5,014 at mostly filled Dunedin Stadium.

The New York third baseman walked on five pitches in the first inning. Many in the crowd stood and cheered as he circled the bases after hitting a tiebreaking, two-run homer off Ricky Romero in the fourth.

By the third time Rodriguez went to the plate, hecklers who earlier shouted "Hey, A-Rod, where's your cousin?" and "Madonna" were drowned out by applause.

"When you're playing, it's hard to focus on standing ovations or boos. You're just trying to go out there and do your job," Rodriguez said. "Again, I didn't see anything that was bad at all."

DODGERS OFFER MANNY $25 MILLION FOR ONE YEAR

The Los Angeles Dodgers made a fourth bid for Manny Ramirez yesterday, this time offering the slugger a $25 million, one-year contract with a $20 million player option for 2010.

The player option came at the request of Ramirez's agent, Scott Boras, according to a person with knowledge of the negotiations who requested anonymity because talks are ongoing.

The latest proposal is similar in dollars to Los Angeles' first offer to the free-agent left fielder this offseason, a $45 million, two-year deal with a buyout or a club option that was ignored by Boras and later withdrawn by the team.

This offer, however, gives Ramirez a chance to determine his fate in 2010. He could stay with the Dodgers for a $20 million salary or decline the option and become a free agent again.