Junior Caminero's frustration boiled over after the Tampa Bay Rays squandered a four-run lead in World Series Game 2. The Rays suffered a 5-4 defeat against the Milwaukee Brewers, falling behind 2-0 in the series. Their second consecutive World Series loss left little room for further mistakes.
Fox cameras captured Caminero erupting in the dugout after Tampa Bay struggled to record crucial outs. However, the third baseman did not appear to single out any particular teammate.
“I'm trying to help the team, get our heads up,” Caminero said through interpreter Kevin Vera, according to The Athletic. “Just trying to create some energy and get some life back into us.”
Caminero explained that his anger stemmed from Tampa Bay's inability to execute defensively.
“We had to get outs. At the moment, we weren't doing our job,” he said.
The Rays jumped ahead 4-0 in the first inning, highlighted by Liam Hicks' two-run homer. However, Milwaukee steadily erased the deficit before Cooper Pratt delivered the decisive seventh-inning single.
Starting pitcher Drew Rasmussen also struggled, lasting just 3.2 innings. Manager Kevin Cash later addressed Rasmussen's disappointing performance.
Caminero insisted that the Rays' recent performances did not reflect their identity.
Article Continues Below“Nobody in this clubhouse wants to play the baseball we've played the last couple of days,” he said. “That's not who we are.”
Tampa Bay now returns home for Game 3 on Monday. Another defeat would leave the Rays facing elimination and intensify the pressure to correct their mistakes.
The Rays must now find a way to regain their composure and prevent another defensive meltdown as the series shifts to Tampa Bay.