OK. You asked ab out being ahead, and that's when traditional closers are used- usually when the game is close.
I don't think 23-4 and 26-3 is all that bad. It's not great, either, but it's not bad.
We do suck when we're tied. 3-4 in 8th, 0-5 in 9th, 1-6 in 10th, 0-1 in 11th.
Here is a look at other current playoff track teams
Ahead in 8th:
30-0 NYY
27-0 HOU
26-1 TOR
24-2 TBR
27-3 MIN
23-4 BOS
Ahead in 9th
31-0 NYY
31-0 HOU
28-1 TOR
27-1 MIN
24-2 TBR
26-3 BOS
Tied in 8th
7-3 NYY
5-3 HOU
4-3 TBR
3-4 BOS
3-6 TOR
2-3 MIN
Tied in 9th
4-2 NYY
4-3 TBR
2-2 HOU
2-2 MIN
2-4 TOR
0-5 BOS
Tied in 10th
2-1 NYY
1-1 HOU
1-2 TOR
1-2 MIN
1-6 BOS
Nobody is doubting we have had serious issues in the 8th, 9th and 10th, but I'm not sure it's as bad as you make it out to be. 26-3 with the lead in the 9th is pretty close to everyone else. It's just 1, 2 or 3 more losses than others and just 3 from perfection.