BOSTON -- It looked like a bad dance routine: Nick Green caught the ball, then stepped back with his foot. Nothing there. So he stepped with his other foot. Still nothing. By that time, runner Mark Ellis was back at second base, and Green's not-so-fancy footwork had cost him the chance at a double play, and earned him the honors for the most memorable gaffe of the night.

"Obviously I was mad at myself because I think I can make every play," Green said after the game.

It was the seventh inning, and Oakland had men on first and second, with one out. Scott Hairston popped up a high ball to shallow right field, and Mark Kotsay struggled to track it down in the high winds. The runners moved forward, anticipating a hit, but Kotsay snagged the ball at the last minute. He fired to Green at second base in an effort to double up Bobby Crosby, who was nowhere close to tagging up.

But Green's feet couldn't find the base.

"Kots makes a great play, throws the ball in, Greenie makes a nice pick, and then in the midst of trying to catch the ball -- which is his first priority -- can't find the bag," manager Terry Francona said.

Instead of the end of the inning, the A's still had two men on with two outs.

"All of a sudden, the middle of their order is coming up. We've got men all over the bases. But we fought enough and held on," Manager Terry Francona said.

The A's made the most of the opportunity when Kurt Suzuki singled to bring in two runs.

"It's more just frustrating or whatever. Next guy gets a hit or whatever, and we end up giving runs but we could have gotten out of it," Green said.

The play was called an error during the inning, and was then changed following the game.

Green is a natural second baseman who has been converted to shortstop. He has played generally good defense, interrupted by a number of memorable miscues. But his range at the position and his powerful throwing arm have more than made up for any runs he has given away thus far.

dbarbari@projo.com