BOSTON — There’s one good way to keep Alex Rodriguez from getting his arms extended and driving the ball the way he has all season.

Hit him with a pitch.

Daisuke Matsuzaka’s first confrontation with this month’s MVP ended after one pitch. Matsuzaka drilled A-Rod off the left shoulder with his first pitch of the at-bat in the opening inning, a 92-mile-an-hour fastball.

The HBP of A-Rod, no fan favorite in Boston, generated a loud cheer from the Fenway Park crowd and no doubt made Dice-K even more of a crowd pleaser with the Red Sox faithful. A-Rod was 5-for-9 with two homers, two doubles and five RBI in the first two games of the series.

Matsuzaka tipped his cap to Rodriguez in a sign of respect consistent with what happens at times in the game in Japan.

Rodriguez, meanwhile, was spun around in trying to get out of the way. Unlike three years ago, when he got hit with a pitch and wound up in a shoving match with catcher Jason Varitek, A-Rod simply trotted to first base without so much as a glance at Dice-K.

But while hitting A-Rod was a popular move with the fans, it also put Yankee runners at first and second with two out. And Jason Giambi cashed them in by drilling an 83-mph changeup into left-center for a two-run double.

Dice-K also drilled Yankee captain Derek Jeter with the first pitch of an at-bat, in the third inning. This time, there was no tip of the cap. But again, the hit batsman came back to haunt him on Giambi’s two-out bloop single to right.

Jeter, meanwhile, exacted his own measure of revenge, lofting a leadoff homer into the first row of the Monster seats in the fifth, tying the game at 4-4. It was Jeter’s first homer of the year.

When in need . . .

The Yankees’ bullpen door opened and out came — Andy Pettitte?

Pettitte, the veteran left-hander, had started Friday night’s game. He threw 100 pitches in 6 1/3 innings.

Yesterday was his day to throw on the side, but with New York’s bullpen having been taxed this weekend, Yankee manager Joe Torre held Pettitte back from throwing in the bullpen before the game just in case he needed him last night. And he did, calling on Pettitte to start the sixth with a 5-4 lead.

Pettitte faced only three batters in a spotless inning, and that was it for him.

Proctor gamble

Torre made an interesting choice of relievers in the seventh, trying to preserve a 5-4 lead.

He brought in right-hander Scott Proctor. Not that calling on Proctor is new. It was his 11th appearance in 17 games this year after leading the league with 83 appearances last year.

But the first batter to face him was Manny Ramirez, who was 3 for 8 lifetime against him — 3 home runs, 7 RBI and a 1.500 slugging percentage. Proctor won this battle. He kept him in the yard. Ramirez slapped only a single through the right side.

That marked the high point of his night. J.D. Drew doubled off the wall in left and Mike Lowell rocketed a three-run homer just over the wall, vaulting Boston to a 7-5 advantage.

Whatever works

Matsuzaka got credit for a strikeout of Rodriguez in the third, sneaking an 88-mph cutter past him.

Varitek, though, may have deserved a major assist.

The count was 1 and 2, and New York had runners at first and second with one out. The second strike was a curveball outside that A-Rod lunged for and fouled back.

Varitek called for the cutter on the next pitch. As he set up to catch the pitch, he moved slightly toward the outside corner, setting up the target there. As the pitch was being thrown, though, Varitek quickly shifted back to the inside of the plate and set up the target. That’s where the pitch was delivered.

Maybe A-Rod was expecting another outside pitch. Maybe he could feel Varitek shifting to the outside, so he was looking outside. Whatever the reason, Rodriguez took the pitch on the inside corner for strike three.

No such trickery was necessary in A-Rod’s third at-bat. Matsuzaka stayed outside with three straight pitches — changeup, cutter, curveball. Rodriguez swung and missed all three.

Rodriguez got the best of Matsuzaka in his fourth at-bat, lining a single to left in the eighth.

Get over it

When Johnny Damon stepped into the batter’s box, leading off the game, he was greeted by a very loud chorus of boos.

skrasner@projo.com