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Carlos Ruiz (51) and his teammates talk with Phillies relief pitcher Jonathan Papelbon (58) in the ninth inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington.

(Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports)

Phillies fans have grown accustomed to an unreliable bullpen in recent years and on Wednesday, Jonathan Papelbon embodied that description and then some.

The 33-year old closer inherited a two-run lead and turned it into a painful-to-watch 4-3 series-ending defeat to the Texas Rangers. It was the second consecutive loss credited to the Phillies' shaky bullpen.

Just how ugly was Papelbon's first save opportunity of the season? He allowed hits to four of the first five batters he faced. He walked Donnie Murphy on four pitches and later walked Shin Soo-Choo, plating the winning run in walk-off fashion.

As only he can, Papelbon shrugged off his struggles -- and the loss -- afterward.

"We've got a lot more games to play," he told reporters, via Philly.com. "Obviously it's a disappointment. Kyle pitched well enough, he deserved a win ... It's a long season. One of the strongest parts of my game is the ability to bounce back."

This is nothing new for Papelbon, who signed a four-year deal worth $50 million as a free agent prior to the 2012 season. In his last 24 save opportunities, Papelbon has blown eight saves.

Papelbon's ineffectiveness leaves the Phillies in a tough spot as it's difficult to imagine a team trading for him, or the roughly $25 million remaining on his contract, at this point.

Likewise, there are few replacements currently in the Phillies' bullpen who could fill the closer role.

That hasn't stopped Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg, who is becoming known for experimenting with his lineup, from at least contemplating ninth-inning alternatives.

"We'll see how it goes," Sandberg said of Papelbon's current job security. "I thought [on Monday] he kept them off-balance. He just has to get it down in the zone better and elevated for a purpose. He has to get down in the zone - that's what we're preaching as a staff."

