Bullpen's Back-End Sends Sox To Opener Loss

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After a thrilling ninth-inning comeback to tie the game at two, the Red Sox were done in by the infamous "back-end" of the bullpen in a 3-2 loss to the Tigers. Mark Melancon and newly-dubbed closer Alfredo Aceves combined to cough up the loss. The Sox were on the verge of defeat in the ninth, when Boston scored twice off previously invincible Tabby closer Jose Valverde (49 for 49 in 2011).

Pedroia lead off the frame with a double and was plated by a Papi sac fly to start the scoring. Pinch-runner Darnell McDonald scored on Ryan Sweeney's RBI triple to ties the game. The loss overshadowed a brilliant performance by Jon Lester, who almost matched Cy Young winner Justin Verlander. We are likely to see many losses just like this in 2012, as the piece-meal bullpen gets exposed by quality teams late in games.