BASEBALL

MAUER, TWINS AGREE TO $33 MILLION, 4-YEAR CONTRACT

AL batting champion Joe Mauer and the Twins agreed yesterday to a $33 million, four-year contract avoiding salary arbitration and giv ing one of the team’s young stars the security of a long-term deal.

The 23-year-old catcher hit .347 with 84 RBIs last year to help the Twins rally from a 12 1/2 -game deficit to win the AL Central on the final day of the regular season. He played in his first All-Star game last summer.

“I’m real excited to be in Min nesota for the next four years and that I’ll be playing at home with my family and friends being there,” Mauer said. “I’m excited to be there for the opening of the new stadium.”

GOLF

TADD FUJIKAWA WINS PEARL OPEN

A month after becoming the youngest player in 50 years to make a PGA Tour cut, 16-year-old Tadd Fujikawa shot a 4-under 68 yester day to win the Hawaii Pearl Open at Oahu’s Pearl Country Club.

Fujikawa birdied two of the final three holes to finish the 54-hole tournament at 11-under 205 Hawaii professional Greg Mayer (67) was second.

Meyer, a four-time Pearl Open champion, collected the first place check of $12,000 because Fujikawa is an amateur.

SKIING

PAERSON FIRST TO WIN TITLES IN ALL FIVE ALPINE EVENTS

Anja Paerson captured the downhill in her home country yesterday, becoming the first skier to win gold medals in all five disciplines at the world championships. Lindsey Kildow of the United States won the silver and Nicole Hosp of Austria took the bronze.

Paerson also won the super-G and combined titles this week. The Swede won the gold in the giant slalom at the last two worlds and one in the slalom in 2001.

BASKETBALL

BUZZER-BEATER EXTENDS CELTICS’ LOSING STREAK

The losses keep piling up for the Boston Celtics, one after another to bring them to one of the low points in the proud franchise’s championship-laden history. And the Celtics dipped even lower yesterday, not just because they lost their franchise-record 18th straight game, but because of how they lost it and to whom. Ricky Davis’s jumper from the corner with 0.2 seconds remaining lifted the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 109–107 victory, prolonging the winter of discontent in Boston.