You can add Dustin Pedroia to the growing list of Boston players who consider it duck season when they play the Yankees.
Yesterday, a day after getting drilled in the left shoulder by a Mark Melancon heater (the previous pitch was thrown over his head), Pedroia told reporters in the visitor’s clubhouse at Yankee Stadium that the incident was a “non-issue.” But he later painted a different picture to The Post, indicating he’s not so sure Melancon wasn’t head hunting.
“The first one, it slips, I get it. But then the second one?” Pedroia said before the Yankees’ 2-0, 15-inning victory over the Red Sox.
If the Red Sox have retaliation in mind, it will be delayed. Boston’s pitchers last night didn’t throw anything that might have been construed as a payback pitch.
The Yankees led 13-4 in the eighth inning on Thursday when Melancon unloaded the consecutive questionable pitches. That left Boston’s blood boiling, bringing flashbacks of Kevin Youkilis’ recent history with Joba Chamberlain.
Rewind five or six years in this rivalry and it was Boston’s pitchers doing most of the dirty work, led by Pedro Martinez’s penchant for plunking Derek Jeter. And there were bench clearing brawls in 2003 and 2004 between the teams — most notably during the 2003 AL Championship Series — after Yankees hitters were drilled.
Now the shoe is on the other foot.
“I don’t mind getting thrown at as long as it’s not my head,” Pedroia said. “That happens too much.
“Obviously, I play the game the right way. I’ve done nothing to get thrown at.”
Does Pedroia have any history with the rookie Melancon?
“I don’t even know who he is,” Pedroia said.
Melancon yesterday scoffed at the notion he could have been throwing at Pedroia, the reigning AL MVP.
“I’m a little bit surprised [it’s an issue], because it was totally an accident,” Melancon said. “I guess it’s Boston-Yankees — that’s the only reason it is a big deal. One comes over your head and one comes at you and it hurts, I can see why you would be upset.”
Yankees manager Joe Girardi was adamant in defending Melancon.
“For anyone to assume we’re trying to hit anyone [on the] shoulder or above, really doesn’t know the people in the room,” Girardi said. “These aren’t robots that have the controllers in their pocket and can throw the ball wherever they want.”
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mpuma@nypost.com