Indians bullpen falters again in loss to Toronto

By PAUL HOYNES

TORONTO — Why use Rafael Perez and Jensen Lewis in the seventh inning Tuesday in another bullpen embarrassment at Rogers Centre?

The Indians have no one else, that’s why.

Manager Eric Wedge is in a corner. Vinnie Chulk and Tony Sipp, battered in the seven-run seventh, are already here from Class AAA Columbus. Perez, counted on to be the No.1 lefty in the pen, shouldn’t be pitching in the big leagues right now. Lewis has been wildly inconsistent as a set-up man.

Masa Kobayashi apparently is only fit for mop-up duty, but if the pen keeps pitching like this, he’s going to be a busy man. Rafael Betancourt, who pitched two innings for the win in Monday’s 12-inning victory, was unavailable. Kerry Wood was being saved to protect the ninth-inning lead that never made it that far.

“We have to keep working hard to figure out how to get the guys that are here going again,” said Wedge. “We’ll continue to make changes. We’ll continue to try people whether they’re in Triple-A or not even in this organization. We’ve going to do whatever we have to do to get people down there that we can count on.

“What’s happening is unacceptable,” said Wedge.

The Indians scored four runs in the seventh to turn a 3-2 deficit into a 6-3 lead. It put Anthony Reyes, who allowed three runs in six innings, in line for the victory, but then Wedge had to go to the bullpen.

Perez, with a 15.19 ERA, opened the inning. He retired Lyle Overbay on a grounder that glanced off his foot, but Raul Chavez singled as did Travis Snider.

Chulk (0-1) relieved and walked Marco Scutaro to load the bases. Aaron Hill followed with a two-run single to make it 6-5.

In came Lewis and he allowed a single to Alex Rios to make it 6-6. Lewis retired Vernon Wells and Sipp relieved to face lefty Adam Lind. The rookie lefty gave up consecutive homers to Lind and Scott Rolen to make it 10-6.

The Indians are 2-3 on this seven-game trip. In two of the losses, the bullpen has blown a 7-6 lead in the ninth and Tuesday’s lead in the seventh. In the two victories, they’ve given up five runs in the eighth in a 6-5 decision over Detroit and two runs in the ninth in Monday’s 9-7 victory.