Embree: Minor adjustments

TORONTO — It had been seven years since Alan Embree pitched a game in the minor leagues. So spending the first month of the 2010 season in Triple A, at 40 years old, was a bit of a change for the lefthanded reliever.“It was tough,’’ Embree said, smiling. “Everybody was great down there, respectful. Those guys down there couldn’t have been better from that aspect.“But pitching in the cold, pitching with different baseballs, flat mounds — not the best situation to pitch in. You find out how spoiled you are up here. You do learn a new appreciation.’’Embree was called up from Pawtucket yesterday but didn’t work in last night’s 2-0 win over the Blue Jays.“It was a little bit of an adjustment,’’ continued Embree. “The facilities aren’t quite as nice, training room’s not quite as nice, food’s not quite as nice. You can go down the list. The travel. I was probably the only guy in that league this year that will have used a heating pad on a bus.’’But he did say that being around the minor leaguers made him “get caught up in it and get reinvigorated.’’Embree took the place of Fabio Castro, who was on hand Tuesday night, then shipped back down, but it is unknown how long Embree will be on the Boston roster.He extended the April 15 out clause in his contract to Friday, when he would have taken advantage of it. But the Sox still need to make a roster move to add Daisuke Matsuzaka before the righthander pitches Saturday. Embree and fellow lefthander Scott Schoeneweis, who has been hit at a .350 clip by lefthanders, would seem to be candidates to be shipped out.“I expect to be here for the season,’’ Embree said. “I’m not one to read into anything. They didn’t tell me anything other than, ‘You’re here.’ ’’By extending his out clause, Embree said, “I took the chance and gave it a few more weeks, and it paid off. Because regardless if I’m here helping this team I know that I can go and play somewhere else and be effective as well. But ultimately it paid off because I’m here, and that’s what we set out to do.’’Embree pitched well in the minors, not allowing a hit or a run in his final five appearances, beginning April 15.“I took the majority of [that time] as spring training, because I had to develop my arm strength, I had to get my location,’’ Embree said. “I had to work on several things that I didn’t get an opportunity to do before we started games in spring training. I went from throwing with [pitching coach] John Farrell to in a game. So I skipped a step, and found out a 40-year-old can’t skip a step.’’Rest aids Papelbon Having Tuesday off was key for Jonathan Papelbon because his workload was piling up and he has a stiff back. He said the middle of his back was tight, which he felt Tuesday. “Today I didn’t feel anything,’’ he said. “At the same time, I probably needed a day off anyway. It’s kind of a multitude of both things. Just tired and fatigued a little bit. That was it, really.’’ Papelbon pitched the ninth inning last night and got two fly outs and a strikeout to earn his seventh save. He also made his 276th relief appearance, tying Ellis Kinder for fourth on the Sox’ all-time list. “I felt good tonight,’’ said Papelbon, who has not experienced tightness in his back before. “I was through my delivery well. My direction to the plate was good. I can’t complain about tonight, at all.’’Hailing Hale When the Sox caught Mike McCoy stealing on a pickoff in the first inning, the call came from bench coach DeMarlo Hale. “DeMarlo, he did a good job,’’ Jason Varitek said. “Settles down an inning.’’ Jon Lester walked the first batter of the game, but got two strikeouts to end the inning, and barely had a threat against him the remainder of his seven innings . . . Daniel Bard relieved Lester for the eighth, with righthanded hitters four-deep in the Jays lineup. But, after allowing a leadoff double to Alex Gonzalez, Bard had to face three consecutive lefthanded pinch hitters in Adam Lind, Fred Lewis, and Travis Snider. All three struck out. Although righthanders have hit just .198 against Bard in his young career and recorded a .574 OPS, lefthanders are at a .225 clip, with a much healthier .744 OPS. “We knew they were going to hit,’’ manager Terry Francona said. “They knew they were going to hit. We wanted to stay away from [Hideki Okajima]. As long as Bard makes his pitches, whether they’re left or right, he’s going to be OK.’’Cameron pleased Mike Cameron (abdominal tear) and Jacoby Ellsbury (fractured ribs) both did some jogging in the outfield yesterday. The pair followed with some agility drills, and hit off a tee, and had balls flipped to them. The plan for Cameron is to start running with more intensity this weekend. He seems pleased with his progress, and doesn’t believe he’ll need surgery . . . Francona said he still hadn’t spoken to Tim Wakefield about his role in the bullpen, though Wakefield should be available tomorrow night . . . Francona spoke about his decision to pinch hit for David Ortiz Tuesday night, batting Mike Lowell instead. Lowell’s bases-loaded walk in the eighth inning forced in the deciding run in the Sox’ 2-1 victory. “I don’t know what you want me to say,’’ the manager said. “We pinch hit for him and we won the game. I think that was what we were trying to do. Other than that, I don’t really know what to say. When you pinch hit for somebody, doesn’t mean their career is over. Just trying to win the game.’’ Francona used Victor Martinez as the designated hitter last night, with Varitek catching . . . According to the St. Petersburg Times, Rays manager Joe Maddon got a present from Patriots coach Bill Belichick — a hoodie with his initials. Maddon was in Boston with the Rays when Major League Baseball banned his wearing of a hoodie in the dugout, and he attempted to win the support of the hoodie-wearing Patriots coach. MLB subsequently rescinded the ban.Peter Abraham of the Globe staff contributed to this report.