Orioles outfielder Steve Pearce made his first start in right field Sunday since suffering a strained flexor mass in his right elbow area three weeks ago, and left the game against the New York Yankees after aggravating the injury on a check swing.Pearce already had recorded an outfield assist on a throw from right field to third base and driven in three runs with three hits, including a sixth-inning home run, when utility man Ryan Flaherty took over for him in right field to start the eighth inning."He had a little sting there on the one checked swing right before the home run," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "The throw didn't bother him much, but I didn't want to [risk it]. ... He's fine.""You know, CC [Sabathia] had some good stuff out there today and some late break on some stuff," Pearce said. "I just took a couple of hard checks back to back and kind of aggravated it. I told him I was still able to go out there, but he made it very clear that we were going to try and get out in front of this thing and not let it flare up again like it did last time."The possibility of worsening the injury wasn't worth the risk, they decided, though his start in right field was a sign that they had a good idea of what shape Pearce's arm was in.He'd spent a week resting it, with the help of a cortisone shot, after suffering the injury Aug. 7 in Chicago, and returned to the outfield as a left fielder last week.The problem was one Pearce said he easily managed before his July 31 trade from the Tampa Bay Rays because he didn't play in the outfield for them. Early on in Baltimore, he and the Orioles tried to find a consistent throwing motion that didn't cause any further damage.It's unclear whether more right field is in his immediate future. He needed to play there Sunday with Adam Jones out with a hamstring strain and Nolan Reimold in center field. The Orioles have given Mark Trumbo designated-hitter duties against left-handed pitching all season, so Pearce may be required in right field again Tuesday against the Toronto Blue Jays' J.A. Happ.Since the Orioles acquired him for minor league catcher Jonah Heim, Pearce is batting .257 with a pair of home runs in 15 games.jmeoli@baltsun.comtwitter.com/JonMeoli