Bedard: Ryan Brasier's bullpen heroics epitomizes these tough-as-nails Sox

HOUSTON — Long after the book is written on this AL Championship Series (and Game 5 would need four-and-half chapters for how long and the many different roads it took), they will tell tales of Jackie Bradley Jr.'s heroics in the three most critical games, about Country Joe West's controversial call in the first inning Wednesday night and how the Red Sox' batters just completely wore out the Astros' vaunted starters and relief crew.

"Their offense is relentless," said Houston manager A.J. Hinch. "They're a full offense to deal with on a nightly basis. That's what's going on."

But make sure you don't forget about Ryan Brasier.

Not many books get written about setup men who do their grunt work in the middle innings. But if there's any player who epitomizes the attitude of this Red Sox team, how it has gone from regular-season heroes but postseason chokers the previous two seasons, to winning four-straight games at Yankee Stadium and Minute Maid Park against two of the best teams in baseball, it's Brasier.

You can see it on his face when he enters the game. It was the same look that told Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez to get back in the bleeping box in Game 2 of the Division Series. Boston lost that game. They won the next two games to win that series, and five of six games since them to stand one game away from the World Series.

Brasier, and these Red Sox, just don't give a damn what you or I think. You think their bullpen stinks? You think they're going to give up the lead late against these Astros?

They. Don't. Care. They're just going to shut you up ... or tell you to step in.

Brasier has worked seven innings in these playoffs — and appeared in all four of the games against the Astros — and he has yet to allow a run. No relief pitcher in the postseason — American or National — has appeared in as many games and not allowed a run.

On Wednesday night, with the Red Sox clinging to a 3-2 lead in the seventh inning. Brasier went to 3-1 against the dangerous Alex Bregman with the tying run at second, and challenged him with an inside fastball. Bregman lined out. The Red Sox scored five runs in the top of the eighth to win going away.

"Brasier is a tough pitcher,” Bregman said after their Game 3 encounter. “He has a four-seam heater that has ride to it, a sinker, splitter, changeup or whatever it is, and the slider. He’s legit. I wasn’t surprised at all, I was just trying to find a way to get on base and extend the inning, and I came up short. I’ll learn from it.”

He didn't in Game 4.

On Thursday night, Cora brought in Brasier in the sixth inning after Eduardo Rodriguez walked the lead-off batter. Yeah, no pressure. Here comes Bregman, George Springer and Jose Altuve.

Brasier set them down in order.

Cora stretched Brasier out more by leaving him in for the seventh, and he allowed a single and a double around two outs. Matt Barnes and his filthy curveball struck out Tyler White to set the stage for Craig Kimbrel's two-inning save.

"He's been amazing for us," Cora said of Brasier. "He's a great story."

Brasier, 30, reached the majors with the Angels in 2013 but suffered an injury and eventually had Tommy John surgery. In 2016, he pitched for Oakland's Triple-A affiliate but was released. He wound up pitching for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of the Japan Central League before eventually signing with Boston.

The manager told the story about how he summoned Brasier for his first appearance to close out a 5-0 victory against Oakland on July 9. Nobody knew who Brasier was.

"He was our closer in spring training at one point," Cora said. "I remember when he first came in, his first game this year ... I tell the guys, 'Hey, man, this guy is good.' (The regulars) didn't even know who he was, they leave (games) early (in) spring training."

After his performance in this postseason (0.00 ERA, .160 batting average, 1.16 WHIP), it's safe to say everyone knows who Brasier is now — or at least they should. He's been an invaluable piece of the Red Sox bullpen and has had a hand in pushing them to the brink of the World Series.

"He attacks the zone, gets swings and misses in the zone, expands it," Cora said. "That was another guy that we knew in October, he could give us multiple innings, more than three outs. And tonight he was outstanding."

The most impressive trait for these Red Sox has been their mental toughness and their willingness to never back down, no matter how tight these games are or how intimidating the stadium might be.

Last night was probably the most extreme example of that. And Braiser was right in the middle of it again. Just like he's been this entire postseason.