Jason Varitek congratulates Jonathan Papelbon after Papelbon tied the Red Sox' career saves record on Monday night in Baltimore.

AP photo / Nick Wass

BALTIMORE –– Jonathan Papelbon was walking down the hall in the team’s hotel here late Sunday night when teammate Dustin Pedroia came running out of his room.

The Sox’ second baseman was watching Sunday night’s finale of the Subway Series between the Yankees and the Mets. It was late in the game and Yankees closer Mariano Rivera was doing his thing. He needed five outs in order to record his 500th career save.

He did it, becoming the second man in baseball history (after Trevor Hoffman) to reach 500 saves.

Papelbon, the Sox’ closer, made it to his room in time to watch Rivera make history.

“A five-out save for No. 500 is pretty neat,” said Papelbon. “To see what Mo did is absolutely incredible. He has set the standard –– a pretty heavy standard to set.”

Papelbon has been a closer for only four years and already he’s accumulated 133 saves, tying him for the franchise lead in that category with Bob Stanley.

Papelbon entered Monday’s game in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Orioles with two runners on and two outs. The Sox held a 4-0 lead when he was brought in to face Baltimore catching prospect Matt Wieters, who lifted a lazy fly ball to shallow left field.

The Sox’ Jason Bay made a tremendous all-out sliding catch. Papelbon stood in the middle of the infield grass with his arms raised - he’d tied the Steamer.

“It was an incredible play,” said Papelbon of Bay’s stab. “I was pretty much already thinking what my first pitch was going to be to Luke Scott. “It was exciting.”

Bay knew what was at stake.

“Of course I did,” he said. “In a situation like that toward the end of the game, being the last out, the last thing you want to do is give them a chance to tie it, especially when you look over and Scott’s on deck. Not that all of it is going through you’re mind, but you definitely want to catch that one maybe a little more than others.”

When Bay first arrived in Boston last July at the trade deadline, he quickly learned Papelbon is perfect for the closer’s role.

“He’s been great. His personality is definitely suited for it. It’s not easy to do what he does in a market like this, especially for a young guy to come up and do it right away.”

With his next save, Papelbon will stand alone in Red Sox history.

“It would mean a lot,” said Papelbon of tying and surpassing Stanley’s record. “It’s something I thought about last offseason, and hopefully it’s something when I’m done with my career it’ll be one milestone I was able to accomplish. Obviously I want to go for a lot more.”

Papelbon admits if you asked him earlier in his pro career who was the Red Sox’ all-time leader in saves, and how many saves that pitcher had, he wouldn’t have known the answer.

But now Papelbon’s name has become synonymous with Stanley’s.

“For me to get this milestone is huge,” said Papelbon. “It’s the beginning of my career to try to be something great. To follow in his footsteps is awesome.”

Papelbon has met and talked with Stanley in the past and quickly realized they were similar in their pitching styles.

“He wasn’t out there trying to trick anybody. He went right after hitters,” said Papelbon. “He likes to have fun in the bullpen. We have a lot in common. Obviously for him, and in the era of baseball he pitched in, it was a lot different. And, in my opinion, it was a lot harder because he had two- and three-inning saves. The game has become a little more specialized now.”

As a closer for Mississippi State University, Papelbon began his pro career with the Red Sox as a starter. In 2005, while with the PawSox, he began to tinker with the idea of closing again. In 2006, for the Red Sox, he collected 35 saves and quickly realized he would be able to thrive in the closer’s role, given his competitive nature.

Instead of pitching every fifth day, this was an opportunity for Papelbon to be a factor on a daily basis, and he loved the idea.

In 2007, he posted 37 saves and followed that up with 41 in 2008. He entered Monday’s game against the Orioles with 18 this season.

“I’m dead-set in this role, and this is what I want to do, and these are the records I want to try to get. God willing, if I stay healthy, I’ll be able to do that,” said Papelbon.

What about reaching 500 saves, like Rivera?

“I definitely try to think of myself being able to, if I stay healthy, to do that,” he said. “But that man has set the standard really high. He’s the Godfather of our role, because he’s done so much for it. He set the standard high, that’s for sure. To chase him is definitely an honor and definitely a challenge. I’m always up for a challenge. He’s been able to do it with consistency year in and year out. That’s really impressive, especially pitching in the American League East.”

Papelbon said he’ll wait to hopefully see Rivera at the All-Star Game in St. Louis so that he can personally congratulate him on his accomplishment.

“I’m going to tell him I’m coming after him,” said Papelbon.

COMPARING THE TWO

Jonathan Papelbon is in his fourth full season as Red Sox closer. Here’s how Papelbon’s first three seasons compared with Mariano Rivera’s first three as Yankee closer:

Papelbon: 185 games, 10 wins, 9 losses, 113 saves, 236 strikeouts, 36 walks, 1.70 E.R.A.

Rivera: 186 games, 13 wins, 7 losses, 124 saves, 156 strikeouts, 55 walks, 1.87 E.R.A.

jmcdonal@projo.com