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Bullpen Suddenly Vulnerable In Unusual Loss

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By TONY FABRIZIO | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 17, 2008

BOSTON - How to explain the Rays' bullpen - rock solid throughout the postseason - blowing a seven-run lead in Game 5 of the ALCS Thursday night at Fenway Park?

In the wee hours after Tampa Bay's 8-7 loss to the Boston Red Sox, Rays pitching coach Jim Hickey didn't have any conclusive answers.

"It was the same guys pretty much throwing the same stuff they've been successful with all year," Hickey said. "So it was just a case of a really good team putting together a very improbable comeback.

"You've got to do nothing but give credit to those guys. They were relentless there at the end."

The Rays' vulnerability as they attempted to close out the series in Game 5 looked like it might be starting pitcher Scott Kazmir, whom manager Joe Maddon had jumped over the more reliable James Shields in the rotation. Kazmir had struggled with his location and pitch count at times, and a repeat could have spelled disaster against the Red Sox.

But Kazmir pitched like the staff ace he's supposed to be, allowing only two hits through six innings. And when he handed the bullpen a 7-0 lead in the bottom of the seventh, it appeared the Rays were on their way to the World Series.

What followed against a rested and seemingly ready Rays bullpen was a Red Sox postseason comeback for the ages – the largest by any team since Game 4 of the 1929 World Series.

- Hard-throwing Grant Balfour came on in the seventh. He got two quick outs after giving up a leadoff double to Jed Lowrie, and then gave up and RBI single to Dustin Pedroia and three-run homer to David Ortiz - who came to the plate 1-for-17 in the series.

- Maddon opted for his closeout man, Dan Wheeler, with two out in the seventh. Wheeler, who pitched 3 1/3 scoreless innings in Tampa Bay's 9-8 extra-inning victory in Game 2, got beat in the eighth inning for a two-run home run by J.D. Drew and an RBI single by Coco Crisp. That game was tied 7-7.

- J.P Howell pitched the ninth. Kevin Youkilis singled off him with two out in a 10-pitch at-bat and went to second when third baseman Evan Longoria rushed his throw to first and it skipped into the stands. Howell put Jason Bay on with an intentional walk, and Drew followed with a game-winning single to right field.

"They deserve it tonight," Howell said. "They showed a lot of guts and courage. That's why they're here. They showed what they can do when their backs are against the wall."

Of his battle with Youkilis, in which the dangerous hitter fouled off four consecutive pitches at one point, Howell said, "That was a great at-bat, man. I was trying to challenge him with curveballs and heaters, and he kept fouling them off. He willed his way onto base. That's what he does. He's real thick-headed."

Balfour gave up four runs in two-thirds of an inning, and his ERA ballooned to 22.50 for the series. He threw two 97-mph fastballs to Ortiz, and "Big Papi" sent the second one to Rhode Island.

"I kept the ball down, and he got a pretty good swing on it and hit it out," he said. "I'm pretty disappointed in myself. I've been better than that all year long. That was my worst outing all year. It wasn't a good time to go out and give up four runs."

Hickey believes the Rays – and their suddenly beleaguered bullpen – will rebound.

"This club, all year long, we've been at our best right when it looks like it's the worst," he said, citing the team's recovery after a seven-game losing streak going into the All-Star break. "This is just a real resilient bunch. Just when you think they're going to break, they bounce back and do even better than you could have imagined.

"I would expect it to be like that again."

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