Dustin Pedroia was a late scratch Thursday against the Astros with left knee soreness.

By Bill Koch The Providence Journal

HOUSTON -- The left knee troubles that plagued Dustin Pedroia on his last visit to Minute Maid Park are still in evidence.

The Red Sox second baseman was a late scratch from the lineup ahead of Thursday’s series opener against the Astros, denying him a chance to take the field for his first road game of 2018.

The Red Sox announced Pedroia is day-to-day with left knee soreness, the same joint upon which he underwent cartilage restoration surgery during the offseason. Pedroia has played on a conservative schedule both during his rehab assignment and since his return to Boston last week, sitting out Wednesday’s getaway 6-4 win over the Blue Jays and never playing three straight at any point.

“We’ll stay ahead of anything before it happens,” Pedroia said last week before a three-game series with the Braves. “I feel good. I’m moving a lot better than last year. I’m not in as much pain.”

It was a different story in the 2017 American League Division Series, with an 8-2 drubbing by Houston in Game 2 representing Pedroia’s last game on enemy soil. The Astros ultimately finished off the Red Sox in four games on their way to a world championship.

Pedroia was just 2 for 16 against the Astros, the second-worst performance he’s endured in 11 career postseason series. Only a 1-for-17 showing in the 2008 AL Division Series against the Angels was more of a struggle, and Pedroia went on to have offseason left knee surgery. Red Sox manager Alex Cora could tell his old teammate was struggling while watching from the opposing dugout as Houston’s bench coach.

“It was pretty simple, honestly,” Cora said. “Get ahead, expand the zone and then with two strikes we would move the shortstop (Carlos Correa) to the hole and third baseman Alex Bregman) in. “Then we would move (second baseman Jose Altuve) to the hole.

“The only thing he could do was roll over or try to hit that hole. That’s what we did.”

Pedroia’s .760 OPS during the regular season was also the second-worst of his career. Only the .561 he compiled during a 31-game rookie cameo in 2006 was lower.

Brock Holt started at second base in place of Pedroia. Blake Swihart moved to Holt’s original spot in right field.

Another homecoming: It wasn’t just Cora making a return to Houston on Thursday.

J.D. Martinez was released by the Astros in 2014, a surprise move that came late in spring training. He was signed by the Tigers and has proceeded to whack all but 24 of his 170 career homers with three other organizations.

Martinez entered Thursday with 13 round-trippers in May, the first Red Sox player to reach that mark since David Ortiz nailed 14 in July 2006. The fact that Martinez has settled in so quickly after signing a five-year, $110-million deal in free agency this offseason speaks to his professional approach.

“I just play baseball,” Martinez said Wednesday, fresh off a two-run shot in the win over Toronto. “Whether I have the contract or not, I take this game the same way I’ve been doing it for the last four or five years. That’s the way I look at it.”

Around the bases: Jackie Bradley Jr. smashed a double off the fence in center field to lead off the third inning on Thursday, making it at least one hit in nine of his last 11 games. It was Bradley’s sixth extra base hit in that span after just six in his first 38 games this season. “I’m in a good spot,” Bradley said Wednesday. “I’ve been working really hard and hoping it continues.”… Andrew Benintendi drew a one-out walk in the third, the 48th time he’s reached base safely in May. Benintendi entered Thursday with 36 hits and 11 walks on the month, raising his OPS from .712 on May 4 to .893 entering the series opener. … Former Red Sox right-hander Roger Clemens was on the WEEI radio call of the game, joining Tim Neverett and Dale Arnold.