The Boston Red Sox pulled off another comeback against Mariano Rivera, then turned their thoughts to Terry Francona.

Playing without their ailing manager, the Red Sox rallied for five runs off Rivera in the ninth inning – helped by Alex Rodriguez’s costly error – and beat the Yankees 7-3 yesterday to avoid a season-opening sweep.

Francona was taken to a hospital in the morning with tightness in his chest. He was resting there comfortably awaiting test results, the team said. Bench coach Brad Mills filled in for him.

Derek Jeter left the game after he was hit in the helmet by a pitch and was taken to a hospital for a precautionary CT scan. The results were normal and Jeter was expected to play tonight against Baltimore, the Yankees said.

The teams play three more games next week at Fenway Park beginning with Boston’s home opener Monday, when the Red Sox will receive their World Series rings.

Rodriguez and Tino Martinez homered for the Yankees, who went ahead in the eighth without a hit. Gary Sheffield drove in the tiebreaking run with a sacrifice fly.

Rivera entered in the ninth with a 3-2 lead for the second consecutive day and blew it again. He issued a leadoff walk to Bill Mueller before consecutive singles by Mark Bellhorn and Johnny Damon loaded the bases with none out.

“Even though I walked Mueller, I made my pitches,” Rivera said. “After that, I was getting groundballs that were going through the holes. There’s nothing you can do against that. I’m fine.”

After Trot Nixon struck out, Manny Ramirez hit a routine grounder to Rodriguez at third. He should have been able to get at least a force play at the plate and possibly a game-ending double play, but he bobbled the ball and the tying run scored.

David Ortiz drove in the go-ahead run with a dribbler to the right side, and Edgar Renteria made it 6-3 with a two-run single. After walking Doug Mirabelli, Rivera was lifted – a rare sight. He walked off the mound to a healthy dose of boos, but he thought those must have come from Red Sox fans.

“I think it’s inexcusable if the boos were from Yankee fans because they wouldn’t be crawling all over themselves to get into this ballpark if it weren’t for him,” manager Joe Torre said.

The All-Star closer has blown his last four save chances against the Red Sox, including two in the 2004 playoffs, and six opportunities in all against Boston since the start of last season.

Making his first start of the year, Mike Mussina gave up nine hits but worked out of trouble. Helped by three double plays, he limited Boston to two runs in six innings.