The hits keep coming

Another game, another charge of dirty play levied by a player involved in the Red Sox-Yankees series.

The latest player to make the call was Robinson Cano. He felt that Mike Lowell's base running in the fourth inning was beyond what's proper.

With one out and the bases loaded, Jason Varitek hit a grounder to Cano at second. As Cano bore down on Lowell in the baseline for the tag and the potential start of the inning-ending double play, Lowell paused and then threw a shoulder into Cano. The second baseman was jolted toward the mound, but was still able to throw to first in time to complete the play.

"He played dirty because he threw his elbow at me, but that's the game of baseball," Cano said. "I have to protect myself any time I have to tag somebody. I have no complaints about it."

But Cano's words indicated he did have a problem with it.

"Yeah, of course, he threw his body at me and he threw his elbow," Cano said. "I've never had a problem with him before. Today he threw his elbow at me, but I never say anything.

"I don't think it's a fair play because he threw his elbow at me. They made a big deal about it when [Alex Rodriguez] made his slide at second on [Dustin] Pedroia [last month]. [Rodriguez] didn't throw his elbow. He just slid and put his arm up. [Lowell] stopped and he threw his elbow at me. He caught me right on my arm."

Yankees manager Joe Torre said he had no problem with Lowell's play.

"Mike kind of deked him," Torre said. "When you're in the baseline, you're fair game. There was nothing dirty. It was remarkable that Robbie threw the ball [and completed the double play]."

Cano was also involved in the game's scariest play, which resulted in first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz being taken to the hospital.

With the bases loaded and no outs in the seventh, Cano fielded Lowell's grounder and tried to turn the double play.

"I couldn't get a good grip on the ball and threw it behind Derek Jeter at second base," said Cano.

Jeter, who was charged with two errors in the seventh inning, managed to take the throw for the force but then spun and made a bad throw to first. Mientkiewicz tried to dig it out as Lowell hustled down the line, his left thigh smashing against the back of Mientkiewicz's head.

Mientkiewicz stayed facefirst on the field while the go-ahead run scored. He was dazed, said Torre.

Torre said Mientkiewicz had a welt form on the back of his head. He was transported off the field on a cart, but he was able to sit up on his own and was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital.

"I thought something really bad had happened to him" said Cano. "He wasn't moving on the ground for a few minutes."

Torre said, "He started to be a little bit more aware at the end . . . It is frightening.

"He is trying to catch the ball, and it was an ugly play to start with. Robbie gave Jeter kind of an unusual handle and [Jeter] just got rid of it quickly. You could see Dougie sort of backing in to try and get a good hop to catch it.

"And, you know, Mike ran him over. I don't think he did anything wrong, though."