Junior Caminero exploded in the dugout after the Rays’ defense spiraled in Game 2 of the World Series
The Tampa Bay Rays’ 4-0 lead after the first inning of Game 2 of the World Series was gone by the seventh inning.
So was Junior Caminero’s patience.
The star third baseman was caught on camera exploding in the visitors’ dugout at American Family Field between the sixth and seventh innings on Saturday, Oct. 24. The Fox broadcast didn’t show precisely who Caminero’s verbal outburst was directed toward. But the reason for his frustration was not difficult to decipher.
The Rays’ defense gifted the Brewers extra pitches and extra outs left and right after taking an early lead. In the second inning, first baseman Jonathan Aranda dropped a foul pop-up off the bat of William Contreras in front of the protective netting behind first base.
When Contreras hit an opposite-field single later in the same at-bat, Milwaukee scored its first run.
More news: Brewers All-Star Who Hasn’t Played Since July Makes World Series Roster
In the second inning Aranda allowed a routine ground ball to escape between his legs, under his glove, with a runner on third base. That error led directly to Milwaukee’s third run.
In the sixth inning, Milwaukee tied the game 4-4 on a solo home run by Sal Frelick against pitcher Ian Seymour. A long inning got longer for Seymour when Chandler Simpson had trouble with a fly ball by Christian Yelich in left field.
More news: One MLB Player Already Guaranteed World Series Ring
Although it was scored a single, not an error, it extended the inning and forced Tampa Bay to pull Seymour from the game.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Cooper Pratt’s RBI single scored Brice Turang to give the Brewers a 5-4 lead.
More news: Rays, Brewers Immediately Inspire 2 MLB Owners to Spend Less
Tampa Bay led all MLB teams in defensive efficiency in the regular season at .723. Simpson was among baseball’s best defensive left fielders.
In short, the Rays committed the kind of meltdown Caminero was not accustomed to seeing during the regular season. And it happened at an impossibly bad time.
For more MLB news, visit Newsweek Sports
