If Shane Victorino is being cautious, as he works his way back to the Boston Red Sox, he did not show it Tuesday night, before 4,122 at Hadlock Field.

Making his second rehab stint with the Portland Sea Dogs this season, Victorino scored on a sacrifice fly – from second base. The run helped Portland’s rally, but not enough in a 7-4 loss to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. The Sea Dogs (28-50) finished with their worst June (6-21) in franchise history.

In the fifth inning, New Hampshire center fielder Dalton Pompey made a stellar over-the-shoulder catch of Carlos Asuaje’s deep fly, then fell down on the warning track. Victorino, who is on the disabled list with a calf injury, took off.

Sea Dogs Manager Billy McMillon, coaching third, held up his arms, but Victorino ran through the stop sign and scored standing up.

“No reason for me to be cautious. I’m going to have to do it at some point,” Victorino said. “I had to test it. It’s the way you play the game. You don’t change the way you play just because you’re rehabbing.”

Victorino played the whole game in right field, making several plays, including a full sprint for a line-drive catch near the line; and cutting off a ball in right-center, holding the batter to a single.

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At the plate, Victorino went 1 for 3, with a hit-by-pitch and a bloop RBI double down the right-field line. He also flied out to left and grounded out to third base.

“The timing is going to come. I’m not worried about it,” Victorino said.

Victorino, 34, was not the oldest player on the field, nor was he the only one with a Boston Red Sox World Series ring.

Joel Pineiro, 36, started for New Hampshire, in a continued effort to get back to the big leagues.

Pineiro pitched in the majors for 12 years, with the Mariners, Red Sox, Cardinals and Angels. He last pitched for the Angels in 2011.

Over the past four years, Pineiro has made a handful of minor league appearances, and was signed by the Blue Jays this season. He is 4-2 with a 3.77 ERA with New Hampshire.

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Red Sox fans know Pineiro for his abbreviated stay in the Boston bullpen in 2007.

He was traded that year on July 31 to the Cardinals (for minor league outfielder Sean Danielson, who played for the Sea Dogs but never reached the majors).

With the Cardinals, Pineiro faced a certain Phillies outfielder six times.

Victorino got one hit (a double) in those six at-bats.

On Tuesday, Pineiro hit Victorino in the right forearm. After the inning, Pineiro approached Victorino.

“He felt bad, but I told him it’s part of the game. He’s got to pitch his game and I got to play,” Victorino said.

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This is Victorino’s second time on the disabled list. He made two rehab appearances in May with the Sea Dogs, coming back from a strained right hamstring.

But Victorino was back on the DL on May 24 with a left calf strain. He played four games with Pawtucket before joining the Sea Dogs on Tuesday. Victorino plans to play Wednesday with the Sea Dogs and then find out where he goes from here.

NOTES: Portland starter Justin Haley (2-9, 5.29 ERA) got the loss, allowing five runs on five hits – including a K.C. Hobson grand slam … Outfield prospect Manuel Margot (.314 average) singled. He has hit safely in eight of his first nine games.

 


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