"It took only five pitches for Dustin Pedroia to dispel any lingering concerns about his left ankle.

Pedroia twisted his ankle Monday night and briefly lost feeling in his surgically repaired left foot when he stumbled around second base in the eighth inning. But after not playing Tuesday night, he blasted a two-run homer yesterday to kick-start the Red Sox' seven-run first inning in a 14-2 rout of the Indians.

"It's nice," Pedroia said. "I got to take care of my foot for a day and some other things that have been bugging me, so it was nice."

Pedroia said he has been "managing a lot more" bumps and bruises this season. In particular, he has had to care for his troublesome foot into which a pin was inserted last September to help heal a bone he fractured in June. The pin won't be removed until the offseason.

But the Red Sox' heart-and-soul second baseman has missed only two of the first 49 games of 2011.

"It's just taken some time to get used to," Pedroia said. "Some days it feels good, other days it doesn't. I don't think it's affected me that much."

In the bigger picture, Pedroia's first home run in 34 games and his subsequent RBI single later in the first inning may serve as signs that he's beginning to snap a nearly month-long slump. After going 2-for-6 in the Sox' 10th win in 12 games, Pedroia is batting only .221 since April 29.

As always, though, he isn't short of self-confidence."