As for Ciriaco’s bunt, he did it on his own, according to Bobby Valentine and Royster. Ciriaco said he was trying to bunt for a base hit. For a guy who was 10 for 16 in his last four games, the simple question is why.

“It was a good pitch, I just didn’t do the right thing. I think it was a good opportunity to try to bunt and that’s what I tried to do,” he said.

If he’s bunting to sacrifice, fine. That way he just squares up and lays it down.

But trying to bunt for a base hit, he wound up fouling it into the catcher’s mitt. Again, the results weren’t good, but nobody seemed too upset about the play in the Sox clubhouse.

Royster, in fact, didn’t think it was a bad play. Facing Price, Ciriaco’s thinking was to try not to do too much, get the runners over.

It simply backfired.

But then, after David Ortiz walked, you had two very good hitters in Ross and Middlebrooks. They couldn’t get it done against reliever Joel Peralta.

Maddening again.

It’s also maddening to bat in the ninth without a full bench at your disposal.

Aviles singled to lead off, and though Valentine was able to hit Jarrod Saltalamacchia for Shoppach, Saltalamacchia struck out.

But then righthanded-hitting Brent Lillibridge had to bat against All-Star closer Fernando Rodney. Why?

Because Ryan Sweeney tweaked a hamstring and wasn’t available, and Adrian Gonzalez had tweaked his back Friday bending over to reach down and look at a youngster at the Mall.

Scream.

So Lillibridge was left to bat and struck out. No shock there.

Someone needs a big hit. Someone needs to do something dramatic. The Sox signed Ross to provide late-inning heroics with the long ball. That’s what he did for the Giants in the postseason two years ago, and while he’s performed well, these were situations where his power bat was needed.