At first base for the first time in his major league career, Moss mishandled a grounder that might have been turned into an out at the plate, the second run scoring in what would become a 2-1 loss to the Diamondbacks in front of 37,694 at Fenway Park.
That left Josh Beckett a loser in a pitchers' duel with Dan Haren, who held the Sox to two hits over seven innings.
"I went to go field it, I saw the guy take off for home, so I kind of took my eyes off of it at the last second," Moss said. "It just bobbled around and ticked off.
"I've played there all year [at Triple A Pawtucket]. I've been taking ground balls there. It couldn't have been an easier ground ball, either. That's the most frustrating thing about it. It wasn't like it was a tough ball to field."
One run had already scored in the seventh inning, the first for either team, and there were runners on second and third. That was when Chris Snyder grounded to the substitute first baseman, who did manage to get the out at first. Still, it meant the second - and ultimately winning - run scored. The runner at third, Mark Reynolds was off with contact. Moss said he was sure, on a clean play, he would have had him.
"We got the ground ball," Francona said. "It just didn't stay in his glove. Probably trying to do it a little too quick."
But that saga started back before the fifth inning, when Mike Lowell made a most unfortunate throw to first base while the infielders were warming up. The ball caromed off the dirt and off Youkilis's glove and struck him just below his right eye, which immediately began swelling and turning colors.
"I feel terrible about it," Lowell said. "I short-hopped him. I probably short-hop him five times a game in between innings. It wasn't even a hard throw. I kind of lobbed it and he went to scoop it and it hit off his glove.
"I thought it hit him in the side of his head. Afterwards I saw him, he was shaken up and touching his eye. I was just hoping it didn't hit him in the eye. He got a pretty big shiner pretty quick."
