FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) Dustin Pedroia's first game in nearly 10
months couldn't have gone much better - even if it lasted just one
inning.

Pedroia cleanly fielded a two-out grounder by Minnesota's Jake
Cave, then singled off Kohl Stewart leading off the bottom half of
Boston's 12-1 loss Thursday.

''It made me happy to run around the bases,'' Pedroia said. ''It
was really fun out there.''

A four-time All-Star and the 2008 AL MVP, Pedroia's knee problems
began with a spikes-up takeout slide at second by Baltimore's Manny
Machado on April 21, 2017. Pedroia went on the disabled list three
times that season, twice because of knee inflammation, and had left
knee surgery that Oct. 25.

He played in five injury rehabilitation games at Triple-A Pawtucket
last May 14-24, appeared in three games for the Red Sox from May
26-29, then went back on the disabled list for the rest of the
season.

''I just need to keep building on this. I hadn't seen a pitch since
May 29. Everything went well,'' Pedroia said.

Pedroia says he was restless Wednesday night.

''I rolled around the bed a lot,'' he said. ''The adrenaline was
OK. I was taking it in stride.''

Pedroia moved around the infield as part of Boston's defensive
shifts, going across to the shortstop position when right-handed
hitters were at the plate.

''That wasn't a problem. We practice it every day,'' he said. ''And
besides, I was always a shortstop before coming up here.''

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