Clement Battles For 3rd Win - Foulke remains shaky
It was far from spectacular, but it will certainly do. Anytime the end result is a “W”, it works for me. Amazingly he got the win after walking 3, hitting one batter and throwing a wild pitch in just the first two innings alone. The Sox’s bats were enough to squeeze out a 6-5 victory over the Rangers and take the series.
But my worry with Foulke continues despite him picking up his 4th save of the year. Thankfully, Foulke entered the game with a 3 run lead since he surrendered a 2-run home run to Mark Teixeira. He then was able to strike out Hank Blalock to end the game.
Foulke says himself that he’s having mechanical issues, as he’s blown a couple of saves and has 3 losses with a ridiculously high ERA of 7.50. If the Sox are going to compete, they need Foulke at his best. He’s not a hard thrower and relies on concealing the ball and placement. His change up, if it hangs, gets crushed. The bullpen has many questions, still. Foulke is the cornerstone of the bullpen, and those questions start with him.