Dustin Pedroia's three-run home run Sunday was his first blast since his first at-bat of the season.

AP photo / The Canadian Press, Darren Calabrese

TORONTO –– Lost in the shuffle of Jacoby Ellsbury’s recent 22-game hit streak, the struggles of David Ortiz and the power hitting of Jason Bay is the fact that, once again, Dustin Pedroia is having a very good year.

He’s just been doing it without hitting home runs.

Pedroia hit a home run in his first at-bat on opening day, and hasn’t hit one since –– until today, when he hit a line drive off the foul pole for three runs.

For much of this season, Pedroia hasn’t been taking his signature huge swats at the ball, instead spraying it to all fields. The reason, he said, is that a pulled groin muscle has made it difficult to hit for power of late.

"I think when his groin was bothering him, I think it was hard for him to do that. He finds ways to still be a good player," manager Terry Francona said. "I think he went through a period when it was hard for him to take those swings."

Pedroia has adjusted by spraying the ball to all fields, and clearly he has made it work. He is the proud owner of a .328 average, with 38 runs scored and a .419 on-base percentage.

Pedroia, who had 17 home runs last year, acknowledged that the groin has hindered him.

"A little bit, but that’s a part of the game. I understood that -- I wasn’t trying to swing real hard, except that one time where I pulled it. But that stuff happens. That’s what everyday players go through.

As the groin heals, Pedroia will be able to go back to taking his big hacks. If the ball goes out, it goes out. Regardless, his game is line drives, putting the ball in play, and getting on base.

"Home runs happen. I’m definitely not going up there trying to hit them, but they’ll come," he said.

Baldelli’s O.K.

Rocco Baldelli was wearing a pad on his badly bruised left knee Sunday, but that seemed to be the only evidence of his bone-jarring collision with the right-field stands Saturday.

Baldelli said he woke up feeling sore but generally fine, and reported no problems working out.

He should be available when the Sox take on Detroit on Tuesday.

Baldelli started in right field Saturday and hit a two-run homer to left. But in the fifth inning, he slid hard into the wall trying to chase down a foul ball, and had to be removed from the game.

Kotsay nears return

Five months after undergoing back surgery and a month after injuring his calf during his back rehab, Mark Kotsay should finally return to the active roster Tuesday.

“There’s probably a pretty decent chance he’s activated on Tuesday, but we certainly want to talk to him one more time,” said manager Terry Francona.

Kotsay had surgery to repair a herniated disk in his lower back last winter. He was slated to return around May 1, but during his second rehab game with the Pawtucket Red Sox he strained a calf muscle, and spent the last month recovering from both injuries.

Kotsay is on his second rehab stint with Pawtucket, on the road in Louisville and Indianapolis. He has gone 10-for-32 through his 10 rehab games in Pawtucket.

Jeff Bailey will likely return to Pawtucket when Kotsay comes back.

dbarbari@projo.com