Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Cam Booser opened up about a brutal relief appearance on Monday night, describing it as the "worst feeling in the world" after his team fell behind 3-0 in the World Series to the Milwaukee Brewers. Facing a 10-1 defeat, the Rays now confront long postseason odds after a historic late-inning collapse at the hands of the red-hot Brewers.
A Historic Postseason Inning Unravels
The trouble began when the Tampa Bay Rays turned to Cam Booser in the fifth inning with two outs and the bases loaded, trailing 2-0. Instead of steering his team out of danger, Booser became part of an unwanted historical milestone. The Milwaukee Brewers capitalized to become the first team in history to score eight runs with two outs during a single World Series inning, with Booser directly responsible for four of those tallies.
How the Milwaukee Brewers Broke the Game Open
The decisive sequence began when Booser worked Brice Turang into a 2-2 count before the second baseman lined a single off the glove of shortstop Taylor Walls, extending the lead to 4-0. Walls acknowledged the difficulty of the play afterward, stating it served as the turning point of the contest.
Following that momentum swing:
* Garrett Mitchell hit a ground ball through the left side of the infield to drive in Willson Contreras, pushing the score to 5-0.
* Cooper Pratt ripped a first-pitch ground ball past a diving Junior Caminero down the third-base line, bringing home two more runs to make it 7-0.
* Sal Frelick battled to a 3-1 count before driving a 95 mph fastball down the left-field line for an RBI double, scoring Pratt.
After four consecutive hits without recording an out, Rays manager Kevin Cash finally pulled Booser from the mound.
Facing Long Odds in the World Series
The 10-1 loss leaves the Tampa Bay Rays down 3-0 in the World Series, facing a steep historical mountain. Among 25 previous teams that fell behind 3-0 in the Fall Classic, 21 were swept and four lost in five games. Furthermore, out of 43 teams facing a 3-0 deficit in any best-of-seven postseason series, only the Boston Red Sox against the New York Yankees in the 2004 American League Championship Series successfully rebounded to win.
Manager Kevin Cash remains focused on the immediate future, emphasizing a resilient mindset heading into the next matchup. The Rays will attempt to stave off elimination on Tuesday night at 8 p.m. ET on FOX.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Cam Booser say after his World Series performance?
Cam Booser described his outing by stating, "Worst feeling in the world, feeling like you let your team down" following the team's 10-1 defeat.
How many runs did the Milwaukee Brewers score with two outs in the inning?
The Milwaukee Brewers became the first team to score eight runs with two outs in a World Series inning, with Cam Booser allowing four of those runs.
When do the Tampa Bay Rays play next?
The Tampa Bay Rays play the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on FOX as they look to extend their season.