DURHAM, N.C. — The Pawtucket Red Sox had to settle for a split in the series with the Durham Bulls, but head back to Rhode Island for their 2007 home-opener with a 5-3 record after an eight-game swing through the Carolinas.

“I’m excited to get back home because it almost feels like we’ve been on a two month road trip,” Pawtucket manager Ron Johnson said after last night’s 3-2 loss to the Bulls. He said the PawSox had just one day at home between spring training and their trip through the Carolinas.

“If somebody told me at the beginning that we’d be going back 5-3 after playing the games we’ve played … I’m real pleased with what’s been going on,” Johnson said. “Every game has been close.”

Johnson wasn’t upset with his team’s one-run loss yesterday. The PawSox were within one pitch of a 2-0 defeat, when they staged a rally to tie the game.

The Bulls appeared to have the victory wrapped up in the top of the ninth after shutting out Pawtucket for 8 2/3 innings. Catcher George Kottaras, who had doubled, was at second base with two outs and two strikes on third-baseman Chad Spann.

Spann then rocketed Scott Dohmann’s pitch high off the wall in left-center for an RBI double. Moments later, pinch-hitter Bobby Scales dumped a single into left, driving in Spann with the tying run.

“We battled back really well,” Johnson said. “You’ve got to look at their pitching staff — they pretty much dominated us for eight innings. That’s what you want to see out of your club. You want to see situations where guys battle back in the end.”

But the Bulls rallied in the bottom of the ninth.

Reliever Craig Hansen (0-1), who had worked two scoreless innings, walked Justin Ruggiano to lead off the last half-inning. Ruggiano then stole second and went to third on Kottaras’ overthrow to second.

“They came right back and they executed a nice play on us,” Johnson said. “The guy did a nice job with his jump and the ball went to center field. In the bottom of the ninth on the road, you’ve got a guy on third with no outs and you’re in big trouble.”

Durham’s Elliott Johnson then bounced a single through the drawn-in infield to plate the game-winning run.

The PawSox face the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees in their home-opener tonight.