BOSTON (CBS) - Dustin Pedroia was back for the Red Sox Tuesday night in their 8-6, 10 inning loss to the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway.

After missing six games with a partially torn adductor muscle in his right thumb, Pedroia was back at second and batting second for Boston. He went 0-for-3 at the plate but chipped in with a walk and a sacrifice fly.

Overall, Pedroia said he felt good, until Jarrod Saltalamacchia tied the game in the bottom of the ninth with a two-run homer into the green monster seats.

"The thumb was great, the only problem I had was when Salty hit the home run David (Ortiz) elbowed me in the face. I think he knocked me out," he said after the loss. "That hurt man."

Pedroia On Thumb: 

"But my thumb was good. I just have to get used to the guard and get my timing back a bit," he said of the special protective brace he will have to wear over the thumb for the time being. "I'm not used to it. But my last few at bats I felt more comfortable and I was seeing the ball better; my timing was better. I'll build on that, come out tomorrow and try to do something to help us."

"Some balls got in on me and I didn't really feel it. We faced some pretty good pitching tonight with some pretty good stuff. It was a good test for my thumb, but it was fine," Pedroia added.

"That thing is going to protect me, I just have to get used to it to where I feel like I'm turning on the ball and I feel fine," he said. "The more at bats I got the more comfortable I got, so I'll be fine."

With the fifth inning sac fly, Pedroia is up to 22 RBI on the season.