In the midst of a five-game losing streak and bullpen troubles, Bobby Valentine cracked a joke during a mound visit on Monday night. The Red Sox manager visited closer Alfredo Aceves in the ninth inning after left fielder Cody Ross caught a deep flyball. "I asked him if he was trying to kill me," Valentine said of what he told Aceves. "What else would you say in a situation like that?" "Yeah, that's exactly what I said, with a smile," Valentine added. "He was a little too tense out there." The conversation was confirmed by shortstop Mike Aviles. "Yeah, he did," Aviles said. "It was all just fun. Kind of lightened the mood. Even Ace gave it a smile. We all laughed, and he was able to get back and make his pitches." After the mound visit, Aceves got down to the business of ending the game, an eight-pitch duel with Twins leadoff man Denard Span that ended with Aceves gloving a comebacker and flipping it underhanded to first base for the final out of a 6-5 Boston win.