Boston Red Sox third baseman Will Middlebrooks had some bad luck Friday.
Middlebrooks not only got hit by a pitch during his minor league rehab game with Triple-A Pawtucket. He also was robbed of a home run by Buffalo Bisons outfielder Kevin Pillar, though the deep drive did result in a sacrifice fly that put the PawSox on the scoreboard en route to a 4-3 win at McCoy Stadium.
Middlebrooks drilled a 1-2 offering from Bisons starter Esmil Rogers toward the wall in left-center field in the first inning. Pillar raced back, timed his jump perfectly and took a home run away from Middlebrooks, who has swung the bat well during his rehab assignment.
[milbvideo id=”34601029″ width=”640″ height=”360″ /]
Middlebrooks, who landed on the disabled list May 17 with a fractured right index finger, finished the game 0-for-2. He played the entire game at third base, and it’s possible he could soon rejoin the Red Sox, although it’s unclear where he fits in from a roster standpoint.
Outfielder Shane Victorino also played for the PawSox on Friday. He played six innings in right field and went 1-for-4 with a double. It’s possible Victorino, who is battling back from hamstring and back injuries, could be activated by the Red Sox before Saturday’s game.
All in all, it was an eventful night at McCoy Stadium, as the PawSox and Bisons also were involved in a bench-clearing incident.
