KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Despite feeling a “clicking” in his left wrist Monday night, David Ortiz served as the Red Sox’ DH last night and maintained that he can play through the soreness he’s feeling.

Ortiz missed all of June and most of July, sidelined with a torn sheath covering a tendon in his wrist. He heard the click in his ninth-inning at-bat during the Sox’ 4-3 loss to the Royals in the series opener.

“I’m all right,” said Ortiz. “I’ve been dealing with this, up and down. But I’ll be all right. It’s been affecting me for two months. I’ve got to deal with it for the rest of the season. But I feel fine today.”

Aside from some discomfort, the issue may be more mental for Ortiz.

“It gets in your head,” he said. “(You start thinking) ‘Should I not swing?’ But that’s something that’s hard to control. The doctor warned me it’s going to be like that until I don’t play for a few months.”

Ortiz said he has felt the clicking “a few times” since returning to the lineup on July 25, “but not like it felt last night.”

Manager Terry Francona said the Sox weren’t terribly concerned.

“Like we said all along,” Francona noted, “we knew that was going to happen. I’d say reports of his demise were greatly exaggerated. I told him to make sure to tell me (if he needs to rest).”

Francona, too, said Monday night was probably more of a mental hurdle that Ortiz had to clear.

“Maybe this will be good,” he said, noting that Phillies outfielder Pat Burrell dealt with the same uncertainty after a similar injury. “Maybe it’s a good step.”

Last night, Ortiz was just 1-for-5, but his first-inning single gave the Sox their first run and snapped a stretch of nine consecutive at-bats without a hit.

A road warrior

Dustin Pedroia keeps going. He singled in the fifth and extended his road hitting streak to 26 games, the longest for a Red Sox player since Tris Speaker hit in 29 straight road games in 1913.

He’s now one game shy of tying Luis Castillo’s mark of 27 straight in 2002, which is the second-longest road streak for a second baseman since 1956.

Around the bases

With two stolen bases last night, Jacoby Ellsbury now has 37 steals, the ninth-highest single-season output for a Sox player. He leads the American League and has 11 multi-steal games this season. … David Aardsma, who pitched an inning for the PawSox last night, will probably join the Sox on Friday in Chicago. Chris Smith will probably be returned to Triple A to make room. … Kevin Youkilis extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a first-inning RBI single. … Heading into last night, the Sox had lost their last 15 one-run games on the road, a club record. Prior to that run, the worst stretch in team history stretched from 1988 through 1989, when they lost 14 consecutive one-run decisions away from home. … Kansas City manager Trey Hillman last night served a one-game suspension stemming from a brawl with the Chicago White Sox. Bench coach Dave Owen managed the Royals. … Francona said Bartolo Colon, who lasted just two-thirds of an inning in his first rehab start for Pawtucket, will probably need a minimum of four starts before he’s ready to come back. Given that timetable, Francona said it’s possible the Sox might wait until rosters expand on Sept. 1 to add Colon to the major-league staff.

smcadam@projo.com