In a season where his bullpen has been a mess and late innings have been unpredictable, manager Lloyd McClendon knows he needs to avoid using his best reliever for at least two days in a row.
But sitting Carson Smith down with a lead in the ninth inning and tough right-handers coming to the plate is a less-than-ideal situation when trying to win a game.
But after two straight subpar outings in which Smith struggled and took the loss, McClendon may have no choice.
The young interim closer has staved off the effects of a heavy workload for much of the season, but his last two outings have been struggles.