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Big League Stew

Thu Sep 01 02:50pm EDT

Mothball! Yankees’ Hughes blames Fenway moth for key walk

By David Brown

Mothball! Yankees’ Hughes blames Fenway moth for key walkThank goodness for the Boston Red Sox that ownership decided against putting historic Fenway Park into mothballs and building a new stadium.

Otherwise, the area moth that fluttered into the personal space of right-hander Phil Hughes(notes) on Wednesday night never would have lived, and never would have distracted him into a walk that set up a key inning for the Red Sox in their 9-5 victory against the New York Yankees.

That's right: A moth. What in the name of Cleveland lakefront midges is a-goin' on here?!

As others have pointed out, Hughes' moth encounter comes not long after Matt Holliday's(notes) ear was temporarily hijacked by a moth in St. Louis.

It wasn't an all-out invasion as with Joba Chamberlain(notes) in the '07 playoffs — just a lone mothman, flying into Hughes' eye with one out in the sixth inning. Obviously, it was drawn to the flame of the continuing mega-saga that is Yanks-Sawx.

The Tim Tebow/Rex Grossman lovechild told the media that the moth intruded on a full-count pitch to Josh Reddick(notes), causing Hughes to miss his mark by plenty for ball four.

Listen to the interview with Kim Jones of the Yes Network. Or watch it. Hughes would prefer if you did neither:

"I didn't want to tell you guys that because I can obviously see what's going to ... [laughs] ... come from this but — yeah, yeah — a moth flew in my eye on 3-2. That's why I yanked it and missed my location by eight feet."

Now, why wouldn't he want to tell us that? The truth is always better. Pretty soon, the Red Sox will be growing larvae inside the Green Monster for future attacks.

And now, watch the moth doing the bidding of Josh Beckett(notes), David Ortiz(notes) and the Red Sox:

Following the mothball, Jason Varitek(notes) hit a freaky tie-breaking double inside the third-base line and, after Boone Logan(notes) relieved, Jacoby Ellsbury(notes) hit a two-run homer to give Boston the lead.

Manager Joe Girardi said the Yankees had no recourse for moth relief.

"You can't stop it and can't get a redo," [Girardi said.]

And none of it happens, maybe, without a moth bugging Phil Hughes into throwing ball four. It could have been worse: It could have flown into his mouth, which is a sign for all sorts of bad news.

Follow Dave on Twitter — @AnswerDave — and engage the Stew on Facebook

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