BOSTON – The fateful pitch was a pretty good one, according to everyone involved.

There was just one problem: it was thrown to a great hitter.

With the Red Sox and Yankees locked in a 5-5 tie in the top of the ninth inning, Jonathan Papelbon threw Alex Rodriguez an 0-and-2 fastball. One swing of the bat later, Rodriguez had homered and the Yankees were on their way to 6-5 comeback win over the Red Sox.

"I know it was a good pitch," said manager Terry Francona in the aftermath of the setback. ''We’ve seen him do that before with that pitch, ahead in the count like that. I would say with almost every hitter in the league, it’s probably a great pitch. But (Rodriguez) has the ability – not all the time – to hit that ball out, like only maybe Manny (Ramirez) and (Vladimir Guerrero) and only a couple of hitters can.

''I thought Pap was really throwing the ball well.''

The loss was the first for Papelbon this season and his first since Aug. 9 of last season at Kansas City.

He had inherited a 5-5 game after teammate Hideki Okajima had blown a one-run lead in the eighth inning.

Papelbon had retired the first two hitters he faced in the ninth, getting Derek Jeter on a groundout to first before fanning Bobby Abreu.

He then quickly got ahead of Rodriguez was an out away from giving the Sox a chance to win the game in the ninth when the Yankees third baseman struck.

''I had him 0-and-2, exactly where I wanted him,'' recounted Papelbon. ''I wanted him to chase something in that situation. I’ve got to throw him something out of the strike zone, and I didn’t do that.

''It was a pitch I wanted to throw and where I wanted to throw it.''

But because Rodriguez has the size to extend his swing and the power to muscle the ball through the late night driving rain, the pitch proved costly for Papelbon and the Sox.

''A pretty good pitch,'' concluded catcher Jason Varitek, ''but also a pretty good piece of hitting. You had to hit the ball well to hit out tonight'' because of the cold, windy conditions.

''Next time,'' said Papelbon. ''I’ve got to get him to chase something outside the zone. He’s obviously a great hitter. He’ll win some, and I’ll win some and we’ll go back and forth all year.''

Hours earlier, before the game, Francona had addressed the issue of Papelbon’s command, which has been off some this season compared to last. Going into last night, Papelbon had walked 10 hitters in 20 1/3 innings and has found himself falling behind and in hitter’s counts more often than he would like.

Francona said the closer’s lack of sharpness at times could be attributed to the team’s decision to protect against Papelbon’s overuse. Without as much regular work – in games and in-between side sessions – he’s not been able to command as well.

That wasn’t the issue last night, however. Ahead in the count, Papelbon made only a good pitch when a great one – given the hitter – was necessary.