BOSTON — Hideki Okajima admitted he didn’t sleep much Wednesday night.

He also admitted he was nervous last night as he trotted in from the Red Sox’ bullpen to take the mound for the eighth inning of last night’s game against the Twins.

“Two weeks ago I didn’t even know if I’d be able to pitch. I was nervous all the way before the game. I was nervous in the bullpen,” said the left-hander, who was shut down by the Sox after giving up four runs in a loss to the Yankees on Sept. 14, the victim of fatigue.

“But once I got to the mound, I wasn’t nervous at all,” said Okajima.

And against the Twins, he looked much more like the first-half shut-down reliever that he had been in the first half than the mediocre reliever he had become as the second half dragged on through the dog days of summer.

Okajima allowed a soft one-out single to center by Michael Cuddyer, but ended his first game back after a prolonged rest period by whiffing Garrett Jones and Matthew LeCroy. LeCroy waved feebly at Okajima’s 14th and final pitch of the inning, a splitter.

“I feel pleasure to be able to get to the mound and pitch like that,” said Okajima through his interpreter, Jeff Yamaguchi. “I felt I had more energy. I’m able to throw now. Pitch by pitch, I was having a good time on the mound. I was just trying to enjoy baseball today.”

The Sox’ reviews of Okajima’s performance were positive.

“His location was better,” said catcher Jason Varitek. “That’s key for him. This (outing) was very good (because) he’s been a cornerstone in the bullpen for us all year.”

The plan now is for Okajima to pitch in one more game before the postseason, either tomorrow or Sunday. He’ll likely be pitching in his normal setup role if the situation should present itself.

Moss chips in

Brandon Moss, who has been Manny Ramirez’s caddy in left field, started a promising rally in the ninth by rifling an 0-and-2 pitch from the Twins’ All-Star closer, Joe Nathan, off the wall in left for a leadoff double with Boston trailing, 5-4.

“David (Ortiz, the on-deck hitter) told me, ‘Go for the fastball. He’s going to give you one,’ ” said Moss, a rookie called up from Pawtucket when the rosters expanded on Sept. 1.

Nathan gave him three fastballs. The first two were strikes, but Moss went with the third fastball for the opposite-field double.

Unfortunately for Moss and the Sox, he was stranded at third when Nathan fanned Varitek and pinch hitter Kevin Youkilis with the bases filled, ending the game.

Not his strength

Varitek has never been a good hitter with the bases loaded. This season he is 5-for-25 (.200) with 11 strikeouts. He put himself in an 0-and-2 hole last night by chasing a pitch way outside. Varitek battled, fouling off a pair of pitches and working the count to 2 and 2, but Nathan beat him with a nasty slider for a swinging strike three.

Crisp illness is ‘viral’

Center fielder Coco Crisp still isn’t feeling well enough to start, though inner-ear issues have been ruled out as the cause of his dizziness and nausea, said manager Terry Francona yesterday. Crisp was examined yesterday and was in the clubhouse before the game. Francona said his illness was described as “strictly viral.” The manager didn’t know when Crisp, who will miss his third straight start last night, will be back in the lineup.

“He’s doing better,” said Francona. “As soon as he starts feeling better, we can get him back out there.”

Jacoby Ellsbury started in center again to replace Crisp. Right fielder J.D. Drew shifted to center while Bobby Kielty was inserted into right.

Ellsbury hurting

The last thing the Red Sox need right now is an injury to Ellsbury.

The rookie sparkplug left the game after the fourth inning with cramping in his right calf and did not return. He went 0-for-2, snapping his eight-game hitting streak, and Francona said he didn’t know if the pitches Ellsbury fouled off his leg during his first at-bat had caused the problem.

“I don’t know if it’s related,” said Francona. “I can’t imagine it helped. The (cramping) happened for a couple of innings and one inning he was late going out because it wasn’t able to loosen up. He couldn’t get it to loosen up so we had to make a move.”

Francona inserted utility outfielder Kielty into right field and moved Drew to center as a result.

Pesky honored

In a pregame ceremony, the Red Sox honored legend Johnny Pesky on his 88th birthday. He threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Youkilis.

Ramirez starts third straight

Ramirez started his third consecutive game last night after missing 24 with a strained oblique muscle. He has shown no ill effects and he continues to play only sparingly, basically six or seven innings. Again, he hit second in order to get as many at-bats as possible.

jmcdonal@projo.com, skrasner@projo.com