01:00 AM EDT on Sunday, April 9, 2006

BY SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer

BALTIMORE -- So far, so good for Jonathan Papelbon.

The youngster, 25, who's been entrusted with closer duties until Keith Foulke is deemed fully ready, converted his second save opportunity in two tries yesterday, nailing down a 2-1 victory with a spotless ninth inning.

Papelbon retired Miguel Tejada on a flyout, got Jay Gibbons on a week pop-up to third and struck out Kevin Millar. He needed 13 pitches, five more than Wednesday night in Texas when he notched his first save.

"It was fun," he said, clearly enjoying his temporary role as bullpen savior. "It's a challenge. It's what games are made of. You make it fun."

Said batterymate Jason Varitek: "He's enjoying the adrenaline."

Papelbon had some difficulty commanding his split-finger fastball, bouncing one well in front of the plate in the at-bat with Millar.

"I overthrew it," he said. "It's a 'feel' pitch and you've got to develop a feel for it."

To his credit, Papelbon came right back and struck out Millar with a much better splitter, one that dropped right out of the strike zone.

"He's locating and that's huge," said starter Curt Schilling. "When you locate that with a 95 mph (four-seam fastball), you can do a lot of things."

"I just took it one pitch at a time and one hitter at a time," said Papelbon.

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Wily Mo Pena got his first start of the season, but didn't do much with the opportunity.

Playing right field in place of Trot Nixon because a lefty, Bruce Chen, was on the mound, Pena fanned to end the second inning, then struck out swinging to end the fourth.

In the sixth, with rookie righthander Sendy Rleal on in relief, Terry Francona sent up Nixon to pinch hit. Nixon then finished the game in right.

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The game was scheduled for a 4:35 p.m. start, but heavy rain and a soggy playing field led to a 90-minute delay. Game-time temperature was 44 degrees, causing Francona to note: "It was a good day to pitch." The teams combined for only 11 hits and three runs.

"It was cold," acknowledged O's manager Sam Perlozzo, "but I never heard the guys complain a bit. They were into the ballgame and I didn't hear anyone say a thing about it. We knew it was cold and both teams had to play in it. It was one of those nights."

Around the bases

The Sox extended their winning streak to seven straight over the Orioles, equalling their previous longest streak starting with the final game of the 2001 season and carrying over to April of the 2002 season. . . . The Sox made a couple of baserunning blunders which could have been costly in a one-run game. In the third, after stealing second, Coco Crisp broke for third, only to have lefty Bruce Chen hold the ball, turn and fire to third where Crisp was cut down. Then, leading off the fourth, David Ortiz slammed a ball high off the scoreboard and unwisely tried to stretch it into a double. The carom went right to Jay Gibbons, whose throw to second nabbed Ortiz easily. . . . Julian Tavarez, waiting out his suspension, will throw a bullpen session today as the Sox wrap up their season-opening six-game road trip.

smcadam@projo.com / (401) 277-7340