St. Louis Cardinals de facto closer Mitchell Boggs blew his first save of the season—his first in four attempts—Tuesday night, letting a sloppy ninth inning get away from him to the tune of two runs and a walk-off single from Houston Astros infielder Bill Hall. Boggs, who replaced Ryan Franklin after a string of early blown saves, had been solid in his first three ninth inning appearances, but some singles and a costly error made the difference in the Cardinals' 6-5 loss.
Boggs allowed a single to open the inning, but his troubles began when he misplayed a Michael Bourn sacrifice bunt attempt, leaving runners on first and third with nobody out in a one-run game. A fastball that Yadier Molina failed to corral sent one run home on what was ruled a wild pitch, and three singles later the Cardinals' one-run lead had turned into a dramatic victory for the Astros.
Boggs is likely to receive more closing opportunities based on his early returns, but Jason Motte and sensational rookie Eduardo Sanchez will remain options in the medium-term.