Jun 17, 2014 By John Perrotto for The 2 min read

PITTSBURGH — An airtight bullpen helped propel the Pirates to the postseason last season for the first time in 1992.

The bullpen, though not quite so airtight as last year, has enabled the Pirates to hang around the .500 mark. They took a 34-35 record into Tuesday night’s opener of a three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds at PNC Park.

However, the relief corps has rarely had a worse time in recent years than last weekend against the Marlins at Miami. Though the Pirates took 2-of-3 in the series, they did it in spite of a bullpen that melted down three days in a row while giving up a combined 11 runs in 9 2/3 innings.

The Pirates blew a 6-2 lead in the ninth inning Friday night as the Marlins scored four runs when Justin Wilson, Jason Grilli and Mark Melancon combined to walk six batters. Rookie right fielder Gregory Polanco bailed the bullpen out by hitting a game-winning two-run home run in the 13th.

On Saturday, the Pirates took a seemingly safe 8-2 lead into the ninth inning. However, rookie right-hander Stolmy Pimentel gave up a pair of two-run homers and Grilli had to come in and get the final out to save the 8-6 victory.

The Pirates weren’t able to escape Sunday, though, after Vance Worley turned over a 2-0 lead to the bullpen following an outstanding debut for the Bucs. Left-hander Tony Watson, as steady as a metronome all season, gave up two runs in the eighth inning then Jared Hughes surrendered the winning run in the 10th as the Marlins rallied for a 3-2 victory.

Meanwhile, the Pirates’ starting rotation is in a fragile state.

Left-hander Francisco Liriano and right-hander Gerrit Cole are on the disabled list while Wandy Rodriguez is doing what he does best — sitting home doing nothing and getting paid a large sum of money for it. That leaves the Pirates with three starters who have spent the majority of the season at Class AAA Indianapolis — lefty Jeff Locke and righties Brandon Cumpton and Vance Worley.

Now, more than ever, the Pirates need the bullpen to perform at a high level.

If the cracks that showed over the weekend get bigger instead of being an aberration and what has been the rock of the team crumbles then the Pirates will be in serious trouble.