BOSTON -- When Mike Cameron was on the disabled list with an abdominal tear, Red Sox manager Terry Francona said the club’s center fielder would not return to the lineup until he could play the only way Cameron knows how to play: all-out.

Cameron and the Red Sox unfortunately don’t have that luxury, especially with Jacoby Ellsbury back on the DL with four fractured ribs. The 37-year-old Cameron needs to play and he’s doing it at a lot less than 100 percent.

He’s played the last three games against the Royals and came up big in the series finale on Sunday at Fenway Park. Cameron went 2 for 3, including a pair of doubles, two RBIs, a walk and three runs scored.

“Three days in a row. It’s a good thing we have an off day tomorrow,” he said. “It’s good for me. It was a little bit of a grind, but it was well worth it, I guess. I battled through it and it was a good day for the team and everybody was able to play a part in the win today.”

Cameron’s contributions consisted of his first two RBIs in a Red Sox uniform. He had gone without an RBI in each of his first 15 games with Boston, which was the longest drought to begin a Red Sox career since Ivan Calderon’s 17-gamer in April 1993.

“It was good to get one of those zeros off the board,” Cameron said with a big smile. “I’m still working on the other one. I’ve been trying for the last couple of days, but it won’t get up over that wall. It’ll come. I’ll continue to have good at-bats and those things will come. Once that happens, I’ll feel a whole lot better. It’s been a long time since I’ve hit a homer.”

His last home run came on Sept. 30 of last season against the Colorado Rockies while he was with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Because of his injury, Cameron needs to get to the ballpark hours before everyone else for treatment, stretching and massage in order to be ready for first pitch. He’s trying to maintain his strength despite the discomfort.

“It’s not all the way there, but I’m good enough to play baseball every day,” he said. “I’m just taking stepping stones every day and hopefully I can get better over the course of the year.”

With Ellsbury’s status in question, the Red Sox need Cameron.

“Today was a big day for Cam,” said Francona. “The day game after the night game, playing a few in a row and I thought his body bounced back real well. It was obvious with the way he swung the bat. I bet he feels real good about himself today.

“He’s a tough kid. That’s never been in question. I’ve known that for a long time, since a week out of high school. He’s worked hard at it. I don’t think today is a day you just show up and play. We didn’t [take BP] on the field and he has to get in here and get loose. He looked good.”

The last thing Francona wants to do is run Cameron into the ground.

“If he needs a day we’ll give it to him,” Francona said. “If not, we’ll basically go on how he’s feeling.”

He was feeling good on Sunday.