World Series Game 2: Rangers' bullpen fails to deliver – again
What's up with the Texas Rangers bullpen? For the second time in the postseason, the Texas relievers threw more gas on the fire, instead of putting it out.
Thursday night in Game 2 of the World Series, Texas starting pitcher C.J. Wilson had done an admirable job of keeping his team in the game through 6 1/3 innings before leaving the game due to a blister on his pitching hand.
But the Texas bullpen was toothless.
A total of five Ranger pitchers combined to give up 7 earned runs in the seventh and eighth innings, helping the Giants stretch a two-run lead into a 9-0 victory. San Francisco now leads the best-of-seven series, 2 games to none. Game 3 will be Saturday night in Texas.
Particularly bad in Game 2 was Texas reliever Derek Holland, who allowed three runs on three walks. Fellow Ranger pitcher Mark Lowe followed that up with two more runs allowed on a hit and a walk. Lowe's earned run average for the series now stands at a towering 67.50.
Wilson must have felt a dark sense of Déjà vu.
Back in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series, the Rangers led the Yankees, 5-1, before the Texas bullpen cost Wilson what looked like a sure win. Ranger relievers Darren Oliver and Darren O'Day couldn't keep inherited base runners from scoring and gave up three runs of their own as the Yankees came from behind to win, 6-5.
To be fair, the Ranger bullpen played a key role in Texas eventually winning the ALCS. But based on the first two games, it's looking like the club's Achilles' heel against the free-swinging Giants in this year's World Series.
