Isn’t it a bit early for the phenomenon of blown leads in the late innings to feel familiar? Evidently not.
On Sunday, the Red Sox carried a 3-1 lead into the seventh inning but coughed it up, allowing four runs in the seventh and eighth on the way to a 5-4 defeat at the hands of the struggling Twins. It marked the third time in five games that the Sox led through six innings and then lost.
“Tough week for the bullpen,” said a frowning manager Alex Cora. “They have good stuff. They’re good pitchers. We just have to make adjustments.”
Wobbly processions in the relay from starter to closer can turn good teams into mediocre ones. Through the first five-plus weeks of the season, that appears to be what’s happening with the Red Sox.
Read more from Alex Speier at Globe.com/Sports | 
