You could sense what was about to happen as soon as Fernando Abad trotted through the bullpen gate on his way out to the mound. The lead that the Boston Red Sox were clinging to against the Baltimore Orioles was as good as gone.
Manager John Farrell had already pressed his luck by attempting to extend Matt Barnes beyond the two innings he successfully navigated in early relief of injured starter Eduardo Rodriguez. Barnes was left in the game to face a few too many batters, but Farrell compounded the issue by summoning Abad to relieve Barnes with a pair of runners on base and only one out.