In Sean Doolittle’s last five appearances out of the bullpen, the 32-year-old closer has given up 13 hits, five of them home runs, and 10 earned runs total (22.50 ERA), with a fairly brutal .520./556/1.240 line against in four innings pitched in those appearances, culminating with last night’s blow-up.
Doolittle came on with the Washington Nationals up 11-8 in the top of the ninth and gave up a leadoff home run, a double, a two-run blast, and a solo shot that turned the three-run lead into a one-run deficit, though the Nats rallied to tie the Milwaukee Brewers in the bottom of the ninth in what ended up a 14-inning affair in the nation’s capital.