By MaureenMullen
CSNNE.com
BOSTON -- For Mike Cameron, Wednesday (and Thursdays) 13-inning, 5-3 loss to the Angels was one of the more bizarre games in his 17-year career.
For example, when a rain delay of 2 hours, 35 minutes began in the fifth inning, the Red Sox had no hits. When the game finally ended at 2:45 a.m., after 13 innings, they had 11.
It was that kind of strange night. And Cameron was involved in its strangest play.
The Sox trailed, 3-1, going into the bottom of the ninth, with Angels closer Jordan Walden on the mound. Jed Lowrie opened the inning with a walk. Cameron, who went 1-for-6 in the marathon game, singled to left, with Lowrie taking second.
With Carl Crawford batting, Walden unleashed a wild pitch, and Lowrie and Cameron both attempted to advance. Catcher Hank Conger, attempting to nab Lowrie, threw wildly past third baseman Alberto Callaspo. The errant throw, which seemed destined for left field, caromed off umpire John Hirschbeck.
Lowrie scored on the play, making it 3-2, and Cameronthinking the ball was heading to the outfieldattempted to advance to third.
Boston Red Sox
But shortstop Erick Aybar quickly retrieved it and threw to Callaspo to cut down Cameron.
Crawford then doubled into left-center, which would have scored Cameron with the tying run had he stayed put. Then, after Jason Varitek struck out, Jacoby Ellsbury singled to right, scoring Crawford. It tied the game . . . but it could have won it.
Dustin Pedroia grounded into a force out, ending the Sox threat.
Instinctively, thats what you try to do is run, Cameron said. And the shortstop made a good play. It hit off the umpire, kind of kicked back to Aybar. Yeah, I just instinctively saw the ball get away and ran. Thought it was going down the third-base line, and hit off the umpire . . .
"Tough one. Tough one to lose tonight.
Cameron made the right play, though, said manager Terry Francona.
Well, the ball hits the umpire, he said. I thought Aybar made a pretty good play. Hes running full speed, barehands it. When that ball goes by third, Cams going, and thats unfortunate, because if it doesnt hit the umpire, it probably rolls into the corner. But its unfortunate. But its hard to blame Cam for running right there.
With a game time of five hours, plus the long delay, the game did not get over until 2:45 a.m. The fatigue from the long night showed on Cameron, who stood at his locker inside the clubhouse after the game.
It was a battle all night tonight, he said. Crazy, crazy game.
Maureen Mullen is on Twitter athttp:twitter.commaureenamullen