BOSTON -- For the past month, Will Middlebrooks and Kevin Youkilis have essentially been sharing playing time. But Thursday night, Middlebrooks may have put an end to the job-share.
Middlebrooks delivered two of the first three Red Sox runs with RBI singles, then blasted a game-tying two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning, setting the stage for a dramatic Red Sox comeback win, 6-5, over the Miami Marlins.
Daniel Nava, who had four hits Wednesday night, added two more, the second of which scored Ryan Kalish from third base with the winning run. Kalish had shown great hustle immediately prior to Nava's at-bat, speeding from first to third on a groundout to the right side.
The win was the fifth in a row and gave the Red Sox their first sweep of a series three games or longer at Fenway since last July.
Alfredo Aceves notched the save, his 18th of the season.
The Sox had fallen behind quickly when starter Daisuke Matsuzaka had one of his typically rocky first innings, needing 33 pitches to escape after allowing three runs on three hits and a walk and three stolen bases.
Matsuzaka self-corrected after that, retiring 14 in a row before a solo homer by Giancarlo Stanton ended his night with one out in the sixth. The Marlins added another run off Andrew Miller that inning, setting the stage for Middlebrooks' heroics in the eighth.
The Sox chipped away at Miami's 3-0 edge when Middlebrooks singled home baserunners in the fourth and fifth. A sacrifice fly from Mike Aviles accounted for the other Red Sox run.
Scott Atchison got the win with two shutout innings of relief.