Duensing Cap
Will Middlebrooks was 0-for-3 when he stepped into the batter’s box in the ninth inning with two down and the bases loaded. He hadn’t tallied a hit since May 10 and a base on balls since May 7. Middlebrooks broke his cold streak with a sharply rapped ground ball to right field to tie the game 3-3.
The Red Sox celebration was short-lived. Kurt Suzuki doubled with one out and Aaron Hicks singled the catcher in. For the second time in three days Andrew Miller gave up the game-winning hit. At least this time he didn’t allow Chris Parmelee to homer; that honor went to Clay Buchholz in the second inning.
Buchholz was opposed by Phil Hughes. It was interesting to compare the two former uber-pitching prospects for the Red Sox and Yankees. Because of his fragility and inconsistency Buchholz has been moved to the end of the rotation and Hughes didn’t re-sign with the Yankees after his injury-ridden career in the Bronx. It could have been worse for this pair: they could have been managed by Dusty Baker.
Hughes was a Red Sox fan as a child. I wonder if he has a stash of Red Sox gear that he takes out now and again. Another athlete has been wearing Red Sox swag quite publicly. Paul Pierce had been donning a Red Sox cap to practice and some conjectured that this is a sign that he would entertain a return to Boston. Almost anything would be more entertaining than last season’s 25-57 Celtics.
| Game 40: May 15, 2014 ∙ 10 innings | ||
| Boston Red Sox 20-20 |
3 | L: Andrew Miller (1-2) |
| 2B: Dustin Pedroia (15) | ||
 Minnesota Twins19-20 |
4 | H: Jared Burton (5), Casey Fien (6) BS: Glen Perkins (2) W: Brian Duensing (1-1) |
| 2B: Eduardo Escobar (11), Kurt Suzuki (8) HR: Chris Parmelee (2) | ||
