BALTIMORE — Doug Mirabelli, who was forced to the disabled list on Aug. 17 because of a strained right calf, was back in the lineup last night, serving in his primary Red Sox role as personal catcher for knuckleballer Tim Wakefield.

But Mirabelli’s return lasted only into the top of the third, when he had to be replaced by a pinch runner after suffering a strained left hamstring while running the bases.

By the bottom of the fourth, Wakefield, who had been scratched from his last start because of back woes, was gone too, though he and manager Terry Francona insisted he was not bothered by back issues.

Wakefield gave up six runs on nine hits in only 3 2/3 innings as his earned-run average jumped from 4.16 to 4.39. Kevin Millar lofted a three-run homer against his ex-teammate, as Wakefield squandered leads of 2-1 and 5-4.

“His knuckleball was inconsistent,” said Francona. “He said he was feeling fine.”

Wakefield, pitching for the first time since Aug. 25, didn’t want to make excuses but acknowledged that the layoff didn’t help.

“I feel fine physically,” said Wakefield, who had entered the game boasting a 22-inning scoreless streak, a stretch that came to an end in the first inning.

“It felt funny being out there for the first time in 10 days. You try to shake the rust off, but it isn’t easy. I made too many mistakes. I couldn’t get the ball down when I needed to. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to stay out there very long. I just feel bad that every time we went ahead I gave it back. That upset me the most,” said Wakefield.

Wakefield’s earned-run average jumped from 4.16 to 4.39.

It was the first time in 27 starts Wakefield (16-10) did not get a decision. Chicago’s Jack McDowell had the longest previous streak of decisions for each start to start a season — 27, in 1993.

As for Mirabelli, he grounded the first pitch he saw just inside the third-base bag. As he neared first base, the Sox’ coach there, Luis Alicea, was waving him on to second for an easy double.

But about four steps from the bag, Mirabelli’s stride noticeably broke down. Trainer Paul Lessard and Francona went out to check on Mirabelli, who convinced them to let him stay in the game. But after watching Mirabelli struggle to second base on Julio Lugo’s single to center, Francona sent out Royce Clayton to pinch run for Mirabelli.

The injury doesn’t appear serious, said Francona. Mirabelli was replaced behind the plate by Kevin Cash, who had caught Wakefield in the knuckleballer’s previous two starts, a pair of scoreless seven-inning outings.

Youkilis flashes the leather

Kevin Youkilis has gone 178 consecutive games without a fielding error at first base, tying the record established by Mike Hegan, who did not make an error in 178 games in a row for Milwaukee and Oakland from Sept. 24, 1970 to May 20, 1973.

Youkilis had handled 1,506 chances during his streak, which includes 166 starts. Hegan handled 787 chances, starting only 52 games during his errorless streak. Steve Garvey boasts the major-league record — 193 games — while playing for San Diego from June 26, 1983 to April 14, 1985.

On Wednesday, Youkilis had played in his 122nd game at first, edging past Tampa Bay’s Travis Lee for consecutive errorless games in one season. Lee played 121 games in a row without an error in 2003.

Kapstein nets consideration

Rhode Island native Jeremy Kapstein, the Red Sox’ senior adviser for baseball projects, has been recommended by a search committee as one of four finalists for the position of president of Minor League Baseball. Kapstein, who has been with Boston since 2002 after a long career in baseball, will be invited along with the other finalists to meet with the organization’s full board at its meeting Sept. 25. Mike Moore, who has been president since 1992, is retiring.

Off the mark

Baltimore pitcher Garrett Olson made two poor decisions after fielding balls that were hit back to him, gift-wrapping a run for the Sox in the third.

With runners at first and second and none out, he dropped a low soft liner hit by Dustin Pedroia, but the ball landed at his feet. He had pinch runner Clayton and Lugo heading back to second and first, respectively, and could have a double play either started at third or second, but had a brain cramp and got just the out at first.

Then when David Ortiz, the next batter, squibbed a grounder to the mound, Olson had Clayton dead in the base path about two-thirds of the way toward home, but the left-hander inexplicably turned and threw to first, allowing Clayton to slide home with a run.

Drew’s woes continue

Eric Gagne threw 20-25 in a successful bullpen session and will throw another side tomorrow . . . J.D. Drew can’t do anything right. He finally had an aggressive at-bat, swinging at the first pitch with the bases loaded and one out in a 6-6 game in the eighth — and grounded sharply into a double play. He was 0 for 3, dropping his average to .252 . . . The homer for Ortiz was his 200th for the Sox . . . Coco Crisp’s homer, a three-run shot in the fourth, was his first in 55 games . . . Bobby Kielty started in left field in place of impressive rookie Jacoby Ellsbury, but Ellsbury got into the game as a pinch hitter — and singled to left . . . Daisuke Matsuzaka, rookie of the year in Japan’s Pacific League in 1999, endorses Pedroia as the top rookie candidate in the majors this year even though Dice-K is a rookie as per big-league rules . . . The Orioles wore 1932 Baltimore Black Sox replica uniforms, paying tribute to the 75th anniversary of that Negro League team.

skranser@projo.com