Billy Martin behaved himself and so did the umpires.

"I did the things a manager has to do," Martin said after making four uneventful trips onto the field yesterday as his New York Yankees held off the Boston Red Sox, 4-3.

It took Martin just two batters to leave the dugout. He went to the mound to counsel pitcher Charles Hudson in the top of the first inning. In the bottom of the first. Martin politely asked home plate umpire Mark Johnson to check a gold chain worn by Boston pitcher Dennis "Oil Can" Boyd.

"I told him he could handle the situation any way he wanted," Martin said. "Then I just walked away."

Martin stayed off the field during Monday night's 3-2 loss to Boston under threat of instant ejection. He had vowed to be his usual self yesterday, and suggested he would file a lawsuit and claimed he might resign.

Instead, the real action came from Rickey Henderson. He hit an RBI single that capped a four-run second inning and then preserved the lead with a sensational play in left field in the eighth.

Trailing 4-3, speedy Ellis Burks led off the Boston eighth with a triple. One out later, Mike Greenwell hit a soft liner to left field.

Henderson dashed toward left-center, backhanded the ball at his shoetops and recovered for a perfect throw to catcher Joel Skinner that nailed Burks.

Hudson overcame Boston's three-run first inning and Cecilio Guante finished for his sixth save.

Henderson's infield single after a balk by Boyd (5-5) capped a four-run second inning.