Papelbon rests after shifting into overtime

Closer unaffected by lengthy delay

Julio Lugo can only wait for the late-arriving throw as Johnny Damon slides into second for the Yankees first steal of the year. (Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff)

Jonathan Papelbon wasn't going to pitch last night, not after warming up three times, twice during a 131-minute rain delay, then retiring four Yankees to save Boston's 4-3 win Saturday.

"I don't think it's any big secret," said manager Terry Francona, adding there was no need for anyone to scurry over to the visitors' clubhouse to pass on that news to Yankees manager Joe Girardi.

Francona left the door open a crack for lefthander Hideki Okajima, although he obviously wanted to avoid that possibility, Okajima having pitched in each of the last three games (only 21 pitches, total). Okajima is unscored upon in his first seven appearances (5 2/3 innings); of the 22 batters he has faced, only five have reached, two singles and three walks.

Despite the unusual nature of Papelbon's summons Saturday, which he called more challenging mentally than physically, the Sox closer said yesterday he felt pretty much the same as he did after any appearance.

"It's April," he said. "It's still early. If this was July or September, I don't know if it would be the same. But it's April. I feel pretty decent."

Papelbon, who had entered with two on and two out to face Alex Rodriguez, nodded when told that A-Rod had described the experience as similar to what a field-goal kicker goes through when the opposing team calls a timeout before a game-deciding kick. How did he maintain his intensity through the long wait?

"You know what I did was, I went and sat in a corner of the trainer's room," Papelbon said. "I didn't watch TV, I didn't hang out and play cards. I just really kept my mind in a game mode the entire time. I kept replaying hitters in my head, feeling the emotions of facing hitters and that stuff. That kind of kept me in the game mode."

Rodriguez, who struck out on three pitches, said he suspected Papelbon did not intend to throw his last pitch, a 96 mile-an-hour fastball, in the spot he did - a hittable pitch. Papelbon did not disagree.

"That's just me," he said. "I'm going to challenge you. He's probably thinking I'm going to nibble a little more, instead of going right after him. Maybe next time that's what I will do, nibble when he thinks I'm going after him. It's a game we'll play, and it'll go on all year."

Of the last 14 outs Papelbon has recorded, 11 have come on strikeouts. Saturday was the third time he has pitched 1 1/3 innings; last season, he worked more than an inning four times in 59 outings.

Wholesale changes

With David Ortiz given a day off, Francona did some wholesale lineup shuffling.

Manny Ramírez became DH for the night, J.D. Drew was promoted to the No. 3 spot, Sean Casey was moved into Drew's No. 6 hole, and Jacoby Ellsbury played left field in Ramírez's place while batting leadoff for the second straight game.

It was hardly a stretch for Francona to install Drew in the third spot. For one, Drew began the night batting .387 with a team-high three home runs. For another, the role is not unknown to him.

Drew has started more games in the No. 3 hole (318) than at any other position in the order, has hit more than twice as many home runs (67) there than at any other spot, and has averaged 1 home run per 17.4 at-bats batting third, more than any other spot other than seventh (16 homers in 235 at-bats, 1 per 14.7 ABs).

Although Drew was hitless in the Sox' 8-5 win, he walked and scored twice.

Ramírez, with his home run Saturday, has gone deep at least once in 16 consecutive seasons against the Yankees, going back to 1993. The only longer streak, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, was 17 seasons by Rafael Palmeiro (1989-2005).

Spirits lifted

Ortiz reacted with surprise when told the saga of the Yankee-hating construction worker who buried one of his jerseys in the poured concrete of the new Yankee Stadium under construction. "No," he said. "I better talk to my witches in there."

Ortiz, unaware that the Yankees had the jersey dug up - it took five hours of drilling with jackhammers to pull the shirt out of a service corridor behind what will be a restaurant in the new stadium - was asked if he wanted the jersey back.

"You know what, I'm going to have to call my people in New York and take care of it when everybody is sleeping," Ortiz said. "You've got to give me a more specific location."

Yankees CEO Lonn Trost said the team is considering bringing criminal charges against the worker, according to the Associated Press.

Yankees president Randy Levine said team officials at first considered leaving the shirt where it was.

"The first thought was, you know, it's never a good thing to be buried in cement when you're in New York," Levine said. "But then we decided, why reward somebody who had really bad motives and was trying to do a really bad thing?"

Icy reception

Coach Jerry York and the men's hockey national champion Boston College Eagles threw out the ceremonial first pitch . . . Johnny Damon's stolen base in the first inning was the Yankees' first this season in 13 games.

Gordon Edes can be reached at edes@globe.com.