Martin Perez went into the eighth inning against the Astros Thursday, allowing no runs off six hits to help the Red Sox pick up the 5-1 win, and avoid the sweep. Tuesday on the other hand, was a much different story.

The left-hander threw went just two innings in Tuesday’s 7-1 loss, allowing six runs off six hits, walking three batters, and fanning just two. The left-hander threw 59 pitches through the two innings to make it his shortest outing of the year.

“I didn’t have my best stuff tonight,” Perez said. “I think when I tried to throw good pitches they hit it. It’s one of those nights you got to go out there and compete no matter what.”

The Venezuelan-born hurler tossed 27 sinkers, 11 changeups, nine cutters, seven curveballs, and five fastballs in his rough outing, according to Baseball Savant. Despite the 30-year old’s forgettable performance, the Red Sox’ bullpen went a solid seven innings altogether, allowing just a run. But the bullpen has been used a ton as of late, so it wasn’t in the best interests of the bullpen to seven innings.

“I was mad because my job in that situation is to go deep in the game no matter what,” Perez said. “Too many pitches, too many foul balls, too many base hits – 60 (59) pitches in two innings, that was bad. But like I said, that’s part of baseball. You’re not going to go out there every time and throw a quality start.”

The bullpen’s shutout performance was led by Matt Andriese, who tossed three innings allowing just a solo home run. Both Brandon Workman and Phillips Valdez added two scoreless frames after that, both allowing just a hit.

The Red Sox lone run came from an RBI groundout in the fourth, as Framber Valdez went 7.1 innings allowing one run off five hits. He struck out eight Red Sox and walked none.

(Picture of Martin Perez: Billie Weiss/Getty Images)