Tigers can't overcome 4-run third inning, take another beating in Boston

(Photo: Charles Krupa, Associated Press)Boston — Whatever happened Wednesday night, good or bad, Blaine Hardy was going to have to wear it.

The Tigers, without any available long relievers in the bullpen after using both Drew VerHagen and Artie Lewicki in spot starts, and Warwick Saupold threw 35 pitches Tuesday, needed to get six innings out of Hardy. Minimum. Regardless.

So there was nobody warming up in the bullpen in the third inning when the first five hitters reached and four runs scored. There was nobody up when Andrew Benintendi blasted the second pitch of the fifth inning 405 feet into the Red Sox bullpen and Xander Bogaerts followed with a single.

To his credit, Hardy kept battling.…