Red Sox bench Sandoval for using Instagram during game: 'I pushed the button at the wrong time'

Pablo Sandoval won't take the field for the Boston Red Sox on Thursday, one night after he was caught using Instagram during his club's 5-2 loss to the Atlanta Braves.

During the seventh inning at Turner Field, the 28-year-old escaped to the bathroom in the visitor's clubhouse, grabbing his phone on the way. While in the lavatory, however, Sandoval liked a pair of photos on Instagram, violating the team's policy against using social media during games.

Though Sandoval, who apologized emphatically to both general manager Ben Cherington and manager John Farrell, was benched for Thursday's series finale, he was not fined for his actions.

"I know I (bleeped) up," Sandoval told reporters. "I make a mistake yesterday. I'll learn from that. I'm a human being. I make mistakes. I let my teammates down. Ain't going to happen no more.

"I just came in here to go to the bathroom. I didn't have nothing to do, so I just grabbed my phone. I didn't send a message. I hit a 'like.' I pushed the button at the wrong time, so I'll learn from that."

Farrell acknowledged that he is disappointed in Sandoval's actions and that additional discipline could come from MLB.

Over his last 10 games, incidentally, Sandoval is hitting .410/.410/.667 with seven extra-base hits and four strikeouts in 39 plate appearances.