Edgar Martinez threw 65 pitches, 37 for strikes, in yesterday’s game.

AP / Steven Senne

PAWTUCKET — Neither David Pauley nor Edgar Martinez had any idea when they reported for work yesterday at McCoy Stadium what a weird day was in store for both of them.

When it was over and Pawtucket had posted a 5-1 victory over Buffalo, Pauley felt good, but remained a bit confused about what was going on. Martinez, on the other hand, did not have to worry about any confusion. For him, the day turned out to be nothing but satisfying.

Pauley was supposed to be the starting pitcher for the afternoon contest against the Bisons. But about 45 minutes before game time, manager Ron Johnson informed him he was going to have the day off.

“They told me I was scratched, that something was going on and they were going to hold me back,” Pauley said.

Instead, Pauley was being turned into an insurance policy for the Boston Red Sox.

“There’s a flu bug going on (among the Boston players). It’s a precautionary thing,” Johnson said. “He’s not been called up. We don’t have a scheduled start for him in the big leagues. It’s just a precautionary measure. We wanted to make sure we were covered.”

Pauley, who started three games for Boston in 2006 when David Wells was hurt, and who is off to a strong start this season (1-1, 1.17 ERA), had no problem with the decision.

“It’s a great feeling to know that there might be a possibility of going up,” he said. “It’s what we play for every day here. It’s what we prepare for. It’s why we’re here. It’s a great feeling to at least be thought about in that situation.”

He would find out perhaps as late as this morning whether to report to McCoy or Fenway today.

“It’s really up in the air right now. What happens, happens,” he said. “I’ve got to just take it as it comes.” Pauley did that yesterday.

He stayed with his teammates through the game and at one point even shagged a foul ball that got loose on the third-base side.

With Pauley unavailable, someone had to get the start. Martinez had appeared in 147 games as a pitcher over the last five years, all in relief. This time, he became a starter. He responded with his longest effort as a PawSox pitcher, going 4 1/3 shutout innings. He allowed four hits with three walks on 65 pitches, 37 for strikes.

“Edgar Martinez was the story for today,” Johnson said. “He gets the game ball.”

It might have helped that just last week Martinez was forced into action early when Devern Hansack was injured and had to leave a game in the first inning. Martinez, a former catcher, threw 49 pitches in that one. That was a long outing for him. But he went even longer yesterday.

“We needed him to go out and eat up some innings,” Johnson said. “I cannot say enough good things about the performance I saw from him today.”

The burly right-hander from Venezuela allowed only one hit in the first four innings. When he tired and gave up three hits in the fifth, he was helped by right fielder Jeff Bailey, who threw a runner out at second, and reliever Jon Switzer, who came on and got out of the inning without allowing Buffalo to score.

“I was real proud of him,” Johnson said of Martinez. “When guys reach this level, we constantly address professionalism. To me, what he did is professionalism. It’s your job. You come here. There were no questions about what was going on. It was, ‘OK, I’ve got the ball.’ That’s what you’re supposed to do when you’re a professional. I couldn’t be more pleased.”

pkenyon@projo.com