Bullpen Blows Final Games of the Series - Jenn

While the Red Sox took the first game of the series against the Astros, the bullpen fell flat in games two and three and allowed the Astros to take the series 2-1.

Yesterday, as Dad already explained, we were up, then down, then up again. The last time we were down was due to the bullpen, who's been pretty great as of late. Well, I don't know if they were tired of interleague play or exhausted from their recent homestand. All I know is this is not the bullpen Red Sox Nation is used to seeing.

Aardsma started off great getting through the 6th with no problem. But then the first two batters he faced in the 7th both reached. So Francona pulled Aardsma for Hansen who's been lights out recently. Well yesterday the lights were on as Berkman lined to center scoring Bourn, and a wild pitch allowed Pence to cross home plate bringing them within one. Hansen managed to get the next three batters he faced out, but there were still two innings left.

Since Hansen struggled, Delcarmen came in for the 8th and proceeded to hand the Astros the game. Wigginton homered to deep right to tie it up, Erstad who was pinch hitting lined to center, Pence walked, and Berkman's liner to left scored them both to bring the score to 11-9 Astros. Turns out the walk Delcarmen served up to Pence made all the difference because that's what gave the Astros the win.

Well today's another day and Beckett's on the mound. Unfortunately a new day does not necessarily mean a different turn of events, and while the score was different the outcome was just the same.

With the score tied at 2, Aardsma took the mound for the 8th. He got the first guy out. But then Tejada lined to center and got 2nd on a wild pitch. Okajima came in and although he got Blum to tap the ball back to the mound, it was still enough to get Tejada over to 3rd. Then Loretta, the great Sox 2nd baseman of '06, came in to pinch hit and took Okie's slider to center field allowing Tejada to score the winning run.

Now Aardsma may have been the losing pitcher because Tejada was his runner, but it was Okie's slider to Loretta that allowed him to score. This is that same problem Okie's had all season. If there's a runner on base, and Okie's pitching, odds are 10-1 that runner is going to score. Okie has a hard enough time recording outs when there's no one on base, why make it more difficult by giving him runners from other pitchers? I have no answer to this question, but wonder why Francona continues to put his "set up man" in this position.

Who knows the answer, all I know is what the results show and yesterday and today the results show the bullpen sucking and the opposing team taking advantage and recording the win. Tomorrow it's back to Tampa Bay and a bristling team that's waiting for payback. Should be an interesting series. All I can say is it's a good thing Coco's out of the line-up for the next three games.