BOSTON — Hideki Okajima hasn’t just been impressing the Red Sox and their fans.

His scintillating start has earned the left-handed reliever the American League Rookie of the Month Award for April, his first month in the big leagues after a solid career in the Japanese League, pitching for the Yomiuri Giants.

Okajima made 12 appearances in April, finishing the month with a 0.71 earned run average. Okajima, 31, allowed a home run on his very first pitch in the majors, to Kansas City catcher John Buck, but that was the only blemish on his résumé for the month.

He also racked up a save against the New York Yankees on April 20.

And — perhaps as a result, perhaps not — he now has his own personal translator/interpreter.

The man’s name is Jeff Yamaguchi. He’s a former golf professional who has done some translating in Japan for pro golfers when they play in that country.

Sachiyo Sekiguchi, the Sox’ Japanese media and player coordinator, had been handling those duties, but the team had been seeking a more permanent, personal translator for Okajima, as it has with Daisuke Matsuzaka, since spring training, said John Blake, vice president of media relations.

Masa Hoshino performs that function for Dice-K.

Translators are not able to sit in the dugout during games, but can be in the batting cage and the area behind the dugout. Manager Terry Francona said that during batting practice, they sit in the dugout in case they are needed to impart strategy or instruction, but otherwise the Sox want the Japanese players to assimilate themselves with their teammates and vice versa.

Crisp’s golden glove

They’re becoming almost routine, but nonetheless appreciated by the Red Sox.

Late in the game, a fly ball heads to center field and there is Coco Crisp diving and coming up with the baseball.

It happened again last night for the second game in a row. This time Crisp went to his left and, stretching his 6-foot, 180-pound frame as far as he could, he stole a hit from Oakland’s Jason Kendall in the ninth inning yesterday.

Had the ball fallen in, the situation might have become a tad hairy for Mike Timlin, filling in for closer Jonathan Papelbon, who needed the night off after having thrown 35 pitches in blowing a save the previous night.

On Tuesday night, Crisp took away a hit from pinch hitter Todd Walker in an equally important point in the game. That one he made on the backhand.

“This catch was harder,” said Crisp of the Kendall thievery. “I didn’t see the ball go into the glove on this one. I was just stretched out as far as I could go. Last night I saw the ball into the glove.”

While Crisp’s defense has been in the spotlight recently, he also has been steadily raising his average. Last night he went 2 for 4, marking his sixth multiple-hit game in his last 10. He has boosted his average from .111 to .250.

“I feel the same at the plate, but the hits are just falling,” said Crisp with a shrug.

Piazza sprains right shoulder

Oakland’s Mike Piazza suffered a sprained right shoulder in a collision with the Sox’ Mike Lowell at third base and will be out four to six weeks.

The Athletics had runners at first and second with two outs when Bobby Crosby hit a bouncer to Lowell’s backhand. He had gone to his knee to field the ball, so rather than try to throw out Crosby at first, he figured he’d be able to beat the slow-footed Piazza to the bag.

Piazza and Lowell arrived at the bag at the same time. Lowell dived in front of the bag to tag Piazza and landed on the shoulder of Piazza, who was coming in headfirst, trying to elude Lowell.

“It was a freak thing,” said Lowell. “You never want to hurt anyone. It was just a reaction. I bounced pretty good, too, but all of my weight was on his shoulder, so that’s not good. I feel bad, but what can you do. I called over to [the Oakland clubhouse] to say I hoped he was all right, and he said he appreciated [the call]. But that doesn’t take away the fact he’s hurt. I was just trying to make a play.”

In the line of fire

Kevin Youkilis thought he had a target on his uniform somewhere when he batted against Jay Marshall in the sixth inning.

Twice the left-hander almost hit him with a pitch. And then, on a 3-and-2 pitch, Marshall did plunk Youkilis, drilling him on the left leg, just above the ankle.

Youkilis was so irritated and frustrated that, seeing the ball in the dirt near home plate, he took a swipe at it with his bat and made contact, sending the ball rolling out toward second base.

Otten sells shares in Sox

Les Otten, the former ski industry mogul who became a part owner of the Red Sox, has sold his share back to the team ownership group he helped form.

“I always wanted to own part of a baseball team,” Otten said. “I had a great time, and I’ve got some other things in my sights that I want to do.”

Otten said he sold his share last month, but wouldn’t say what percentage of the team he owned or the selling price. He also wouldn’t say what businesses he wants to pursue and, citing a confidentiality agreement, wouldn’t comment on reports that he’ll return to the American Skiing Co. he founded. The company forced him out in 2001, shortly before Otten and a group of investors led by John Henry bought the Red Sox for $660 million.

Otten did say that after spending months every year with the Red Sox, he was ready for a more active role in his next venture.

“I’m sort of an active participant in whatever I want to do and I was never going to be given permission to have [Francona’s] job,” he said, laughing.

“At the end of the day, I’d rather be driving the race car and playing the baseball game and there are only so many hours in the day,” he said.

Cora in, Pedroia out

As expected, Francona started Alex Cora at second base last night in place of rookie Dustin Pedroia.

Pedroia, though, is expected to be back in the starting lineup tonight when the Sox host Seattle in the makeup of an April rainout.

Pedroia’s average dipped to .172 (10-for-58) after an 0-for-3 collar he took Tuesday night. And while he has had some tough at-bats, he also hasn’t had much luck. He was robbed of a hit by Oakland third baseman Eric Chavez, a six-time Gold Glove winner.

“That’s okay,” said Pedroia of Chavez’s thievery. “It’ll turn around.”

Drew back

J.D. Drew, who was scratched from the starting lineup Tuesday night because of “viral symptoms,” was back in the lineup last night.

Drew was given medications by the Sox’ medical staff on Tuesday and sent home to rest. Francona said he had checked with head trainer Paul Lessard, who had been in contact with Drew earlier yesterday, and was told Drew wanted to give it a try.

So long, farewell

Ryan Langerhans barely had time to unpack his bags with the Oakland A’s before they sent him packing again.

Langerhans, obtained from the Atlanta Braves over the weekend when the A’s found themselves short of outfielders, was dealt to the Washington Nationals after last night’s game in exchange for outfielder Chris Snelling.

Langerhans, who had been just 3-for-44 with the Braves, went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts and a walk in his two games with the A’s. He also badly misplayed a liner by Crisp in the fourth inning last night, leading to a Red Sox run.

Snelling was hitting .204 with a homer and seven RBI in 24 games wiith the Nationals.

Here and there

Josh Beckett became just the eighth pitcher in Red Sox history to his first six starts of the season, last achieved by Roger Clemens in 1991. If he can win his next two outings, he can tie the club record for most consecutive wins to start a season, shared by Babe Ruth (1917), Dave Ferriss (1945) and Roger Moret (1973). … Timlin earned his first save since Sept. 29, 2006. … Youkilis extended his hitting streak to eight straight and has hit safely in 11 of his last 12. … Drew’s line single to right, which scored a run and was misplayed into a two-base error by Oakland’s Danny Putnam, snapped an 0-for-15 drought for the Sox’ outfielder. … The win snapped a brief three-game home losing streak for the Sox. … Manny Ramirez recorded his 1,000th hit in a Red Sox uniform on Tuesday and became the 14th player in history to get 1,000 hits with two or more teams. He had 1,066 hits with Cleveland. He is the fifth player with Red Sox ties to do so, the others being Joe Cronin (1,090 hits with Washington, 1,168 hits with Boston), Carlton Fisk (1,097 hits with Boston, 1,259 hits with the Chicago White Sox), Jimmie Foxx (1,492 hits with the Philadelphia Athletics, 1,051 hits with Boston) and Tris Speaker (1,328 hits with Boston, 1,965 hits with Cleveland). … Tonight’s game with the Mariners is a makeup of the April 12 rainout. Fans holding tickets for April 12 can use them tonight. … The Sox entered last night’s game on a five-game losing streak against the A’s, their longest against Oakland since 1992.

smcadam@projo.com