NEW YORK -- A disputed call by the umpires in the top of the 10th inning could have done in the Red Sox Sunday night.
But it didn't.
With Jarrod Saltalamacchia on first, Will Middlebrooks thought about bunting. A pitch from David Robertson bore in on him, and as Middlebrooks pulled the bat back, the pitch seemed to hit the rookie third baseman on the forearm before striking home plate umpire Brian O'Nora on the shin.
Middlebrooks immediately winced in pain as trainers attended to both the third baseman and the umpire. But when order was restored, O'Nora ruled that the pitch had struck Middlebrooks' bat, refusing to allow him to take first.
Bobby Valentine argued for several minutes before earning an ejection as crew chief Tom Hallion came in from third base and interceded.
"They said it hit the bat," said Valentine. "It was pretty red -- it wasn't a bee sting (on the forearm of Middlebrooks).
Valentine told reporters that O'Nora "heard it. That's what I took exception with. No one saw anything. He just heard it. What are you going to do? We won. And I'm not going to say anything that's going to get me fined any more."
Boston Red Sox
Pitcher Josh Beckett, riding the umpires from the dugout, also got ejected, but the Sox got the last laugh when Middlebrooks got back in the box and on the next pitch, slapped a single to left which advanced Saltalamacchia to second -- without giving up an out.
"It's just like any other at-bat," recounted Middlebrooks. "You just have to focus. The guy has good stuff, so I was just trying to get something to hit. Simple as that.
"I got a hit; I'll take that. I didn't really lose focus the whole time. Your adrenaline is going, so it wasn't really that big of a deal."