Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen calls 9th inning performance ‘unacceptable’
Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen blew his first save of the season after allowing two runs in the ninth inning that resulted a 7-5 loss to the Rays on Thursday night.
Jansen quickly opened the inning with a three-pitch strikeout to Rays No. 2 hitter Josh Lowe. After that, the wheels came off.
Following Lowe’s strikeout, Jansen walked outfielder Randy Arozarena on four pitches. Infielder Jonathan Aranda singled, and Isaac Paredes knocked home Arozarena with an RBI single, followed by Richie Palacios RBI sac fly to center field.
“To me, it’s unacceptable. ... I’ve got to be better in that situation,” Jansen said to reporters postgame.
The ninth inning implosion erased the Red Sox four-run comeback to tie the game 5-5. The two earned runs allowed by the All-Star closer put the Rays on top 7-5, subsequently taking the series 3-1.
“We had the right guy on the mound. It happens,” manager Alex Cora said. “The walk put us in a bad spot.”
Jansen felt his 2-0 pitch to Arozarena was close and thought he threw a strike.
“I thought I got a strike there on 2-0, but still, I’ve got to stay focused there and pitch my way back,” Jansen said. “That’s the one thing that hurt me tonight— is that walk.”
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Jansen’s ERA rose to 3.45 in the loss (15 2/3 innings, six earned runs) in 16 outings this season. All six runs have come in his 8 2/3 innings at Fenway Park. He has allowed just one hit in seven scoreless frames on the road.
“I’m just frustrated I walked the hitter,” Jansen said. “I think at this point in my career and my life, no disrespect to any hitters, but I just have to come in and do my job, knowing that one day you’re going to lose, one day you’re going to win. But walking guys, for me, is not in my nature. And I don’t like how it’s going right now, especially (after the) three-pitch strikeout there and then the next hitter I walk him. So to me, that pissed me off the most of this whole outing. Like I said, I’ve gotta be better tomorrow.”
