"It didn't matter that Trevor Hoffman put the pitch exactly where he wanted it.

When you're a closer, all that matters is the outcome. When you're a struggling closer, it matters more than ever.

Hoffman's nightmarish April continued Wednesday when he blew his second ninth-inning lead in two days, on yet another home run. The final result didn't come until five innings later but that didn't make the 6-5, 14-inning defeat to Pittsburgh at Miller Park any easier to swallow.

"I definitely don't like meeting with you guys this frequently," said the somber Hoffman, a stand-up guy who faces the music after blowing leads but often can't be found with a search warrant after converting saves.

It was the fourth blown save in seven chances for Hoffman, the all-time saves leader who has been stuck on No. 594 far too long. With six homers allowed - four more than in all of 2009 - it was of no consolation that Hoffman got beat this time on his best pitch, a changeup.

"I felt like I executed the pitch I wanted to," said Hoffman, who matched his total of blown saves for all of last season. "He was able to stay back long enough to get good wood on it.

"It's easy to say I'm snakebit or whatever. I wish I had the answer. Our guys showed a lot of character by battling to the end."

Ryan Doumit, whose grand slam capped a five-run outburst off Hoffman the previous evening, led off the ninth as a pinch hitter. With the count 2-1, Hoffman came down and in with a changeup that Doumit lined over the wall in the right-field corner."