ANAHEIM — More as a precaution than anything else, the Red Sox’ David Ortiz sat out the finale of the three-game series with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim last night because of a recurrence of shoulder soreness stemming from his slide into second base on July 20.

Ortiz jammed his shoulder with an awkward headfirst slide against the White Sox that night and missed the next four games.

Manager Terry Francona noticed that Ortiz was in some discomfort taking batting practice Tuesday night. He spoke with the slugger after the game, when it was determined that he would benefit from a night off.

“I could actually tell it was bothering him,” said Francona. “It seems like the smart thing to do.”

Ortiz was 0-for-8 in his last two games; in the previous six games, he had hit .478 (11-for-23), with three homers and seven RBI.

The Sox planned to have Ortiz examined by Angels team physician Craig Milhouse at some point last night. Francona was attended to by Milhouse last winter when, while on vacation with his family, he stepped on a pin that infected his foot.

Francona expects Ortiz to return to the lineup tomorrow night in Baltimore when the Red Sox’ road trip resumes.

Pena starts again

With Ortiz sidelined, Wily Mo Pena got his second straight start — this time in left field — as Manny Ramirez moved from left field to Ortiz’s vacant DH spot.

J.D. Drew, who sat against lefty Joe Saunders Tuesday night, was back in the lineup, manning center field for the first time this season.

Kevin Youkilis took Ortiz’s customary No. 3 spot in the Boston batting order.

Moss gets a start

Eric Hinske, who has been home in Phoenix since Sunday night, is expected to rejoin the Red Sox in Baltimore tomorrow night.

Hinske is on the bereavement list following the death of his grandmother. While he was home in Arizona, his wife delivered a baby daughter, Ava.

Brandon Moss, who took Hinske’s spot on the roster during this series, traveled with the Sox last night to Baltimore and will remain with the club until Hinske arrives in Baltimore.

In the meantime, Moss was in the starting lineup, playing right field in his first major-league start. He was still looking for his first major-league hit, having gone hitless with a walk in his first three plate appearances.

150 and counting

Youkilis went into last night having handled a club-record 1,304 consecutive chances at first without an error.

That eclipsed the previous team record of 1,300, set by Stuffy McInnis in 1921.

Youkilis’ last error at first came on July 4, 2006, a period of 150 games, 31 more than the previous club record, also held by McInnis.

Last night was his 90th start at first base this season, during which he had handled 797 chances without an error, the most by any major-league first baseman.

The 10 runs allowed by the Sox Tuesday night were the most since the team yielded 12 in a 12-2 loss to Colorado on June 13, nearly two months ago. The Sox have allowed 10 or more runs in a game just four times this season..Heading into last night, the last seven losses the Sox had suffered came when they scored four runs or fewer. When the Sox score more than four runs, meanwhile, they’re 48-6. When they score six or more, they’re 44-1.

smcadam@projo.com