Battle-tested 'pen proves Rays 'never out of the fight' in gritty Game 4

ST. PETERSBURG -- Through three games, the bullpens had been the biggest mismatch of this World Series, seeing the Rays follow a pair of one-run losses with an absolute clunker upon their return to Tropicana Field.

Bryan Baker said he knew this team had more in the tank, and it showed throughout a Game 4 that extended Tampa Bay’s season for another day. The Rays’ bullpen combined for eight innings of one-run ball, holding the line long enough to secure a 4-3, 12-inning victory over the Brewers on Tuesday evening.

“I don’t even know how to react to the game right now,” Baker said. “I’m like Ricky Bobby in 'Talladega Nights' -- I don’t know what to do with my hands. But we’ll take a win any way we can get it, and we’re just going to keep trying to extend our season.”

Griffin Jax tossed four-plus innings, permitting David Hamilton’s game-tying homer on his 74th and final pitch in the fifth. Kevin Kelly pitched around a walk in the fifth, prompting Rays manager Kevin Cash to call down to the bullpen for Nick Martinez, who’d started and taken the loss in Game 1 at Milwaukee.

With their season hanging by a thread, the Rays viewed it as an all-hands-on-deck game, and Martinez said he expected to pitch at some point -- in fact, he’d been available for Game 3, too. Martinez permitted a Cooper Pratt single over two otherwise spotless innings.

“There’s a lot of resilience in here. We play for each other,” Martinez said. “It could be anybody. This team, that’s what we built on all year. It’s not to rely on one guy. Everyone does their job, keeps fighting, and at any moment anyone can be the hero.”

Martinez got the ball to Baker, who led the Majors with 41 saves during the regular season but had yet to appear in the World Series.

Baker’s longest appearance of the season had been 1 2/3 innings; in this one, he got six outs, taking advantage of extra rest after having last appeared in the clinching Game 6 of the American League Championship Series vs. Cleveland.

“We generally keep Bake to one inning,” Cash said. “We knew we had to win this game. His two innings were very helpful.”

After a breezy eight-pitch eighth, Baker labored through an eventful ninth. Pratt singled and Garrett Mitchell lifted a deep fly to left field, which Chandler Simpson brought in with a leaping grab against the wall.

“I really didn’t know the height of it until I was able to gauge it and measure it up,” Simpson said. “I’m glad I was able to make the catch.”

Then Baker became an observer for a pivotal play, as Pratt was caught stealing at second base -- a play overturned by review.

“I was waiting out there for what felt like a really long time,” Baker said. “By about the 20th time they showed the replay, I felt pretty good that he was out. I started walking off a little bit, kind of hoping and speaking it into existence. That worked out.”

As the game went to extra innings, Tyler Wells set the Brewers down in order in the 10th, then recorded the first two outs of the 11th before Cash called on left-hander Cam Booser. Flushing a poor outing that tilted Game 3, Booser issued a walk but struck out Sal Frelick swinging to end the frame.

“After a rough one like yesterday, you’re hoping to get back out there and make amends for it,” Booser said. “It feels good to help the team win in any way I can.”

Catcher Liam Hicks said he had “no doubt” Booser would bounce back.

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“He’s been one of the best relievers in baseball all year,” Hicks said. “He’s such a focused guy, he’s been through so much. He’s not going to let a game like that affect him the next day. I’m really happy for him.”

Pratt’s 12th inning homer off Ian Seymour was the lone blemish on the Rays’ bullpen, one that threatened to end their season. But then came the home half of the 12th, capped by Ben Williamson’s walk-off hit to right field.

As Seymour said, “The boys got me,” allowing the Rays -- and their happily fatigued relievers -- to see another game.

“Empty the bench -- that’s the Rays way right there,” Baker said. “The versatility and depth we have is some of the best I’ve ever been around, truly. Tonight is just an encapsulation of that, along with the character we have in this locker room. With how gritty we are as a team, we’re never out of the fight.”