Says Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon, “It’s not always going to be this easy,” after last night’s win over the Angels at Fenway Park.

AP / Tony Gutierrez

BOSTON — Four years after the fact, the Red Sox may have finally gotten it right when it comes to the bullpen.

In the aftermath of their ill-conceived “closer-by-committee” approach, which nearly sabotaged the 2003 season before it began — remember the Opening Night fiasco in St. Petersburg? — the Sox have applied the same precept to a different cast.

That season, the Red Sox had the then-radical notion that your closer wasn’t always best utilized in the ninth inning. Sometimes, the Sox argued, the toughest outs come in the seventh or eighth innings.

Just one problem: the Sox didn’t have the arms to execute the plan. No one ever confused Chad Fox with Bruce Sutter.

Now, thanks to Jonathan Papelbon, the plan makes sense.

In three appearances to date, Papelbon has twice entered the game in the eighth inning with the game in the balance. In Texas last Sunday, Papelbon famously entered a one-run game with baserunners at the corners and Michael Young and Mark Teixeira due up.

Six pitches later, the threat was over. Papelbon overmatched Young on three pitches, the last of which was a 96 mph fastball on the black that Young later acknowledged was unhittable. Teixeira popped out on the second pitch he saw.

It was more of the same last night. The Sox were up, 4-1, in the eighth against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Once more, the opponents had runners at first and third. Once more, there was just one out. Once more, the third and fourth hitters were due.

“The game,” Terry Francona would say later, “was anything but over at that point.”

But it was soon enough. Once more, Papelbon was too much. He fanned Vladimir Guerrero on a 97 mph fastball, then got Garret Anderson to line to left.

When the Red Sox scored six insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth, Papelbon didn’t have to come back for the ninth. His job was done, again, on just six pitches. Mike Timlin pitched an entirely irrelevant ninth for three afterthought outs.

“I don’t know how many times we’re going to be able to do it like that,” said Francona after the 10-1 victory. “It’s not always going to be perfect. Sometimes things unravel quicker than you anticipate.”

But last night, it worked like the Red Sox had scripted it. In the afternoon, recognizing that Papelbon hadn’t worked since Sunday, Francona asked Papelbon if he would be available in the eighth should the situation dictate. Papelbon, as always, answered in the affirmative.

Sure enough, with the Sox leading by three and the top of the Angels’ lineup due, Francona got Papelbon up — just in case. First, Maicer Izturis reached on a Mike Lowell error. Then, after Brendan Donnelly got Gary Matthews on an infield groundout, he plunked Orlando Cabrera to put runners at first and third, and playtime was over.

“I don’t want to lose games when you have that weapon (waiting in the bullpen),” said Francona.

He’s tried it twice and succeeded both times.

“We’re still learning,” said Francona.

Added Papelbon: “It’s not always going to be this easy.”

True enough. There will be times when Francona plays a hunch and gets Papelbon up an inning (or two) earlier than usual. But the rally will fizzle, the Red Sox will put the game out of reach and Papelbon will have gotten up for nothing.

Thanks to rainouts and off-days, the April schedule is more forgiving. Later, in the middle of the season, when the Sox have gone 17 days without a day off, it will be harder to take those chances.

For now, Papelbon has made it seem easy. When you’re throwing in the mid-90s, with a new-and-improved delivery that aids deception, it can look that way.

Papelbon, who said he lost sleep in March as he pondered baseball without the ninth-inning adrenaline rush, said the eighth inning can be just as invigorating.

“No doubt about it,” he said, recalling the jam he encountered. “Anytime I come into the ballgame, the adrenaline is flowing. I haven’t deviated from that at all.”

Of course, Papelbon didn’t get credit for a save last night.

But try telling that to the Angels.

smcadam@projo.com