HOUSTON -- The Boston Red Sox are one win away from the American League pennant. The Red Sox beat the Houston Astros in Game 4 of the ALCS on Wednesday night (BOS 8, HOU 6) to take a commanding 3-1 series lead. Boston can clinch a spot in the World Series with a win against Justin Verlander in Game 5 on Thursday.

There were no shortage of storylines from Game 4. Andrew Benintendi made game-saving catch. Jose Altuve lost a two-run home run to fan interference. Jackie Bradley Jr. and the Red Sox offense continued their onslaught. Game 4 was a wild back-and-forth game that was a nail-biter right down to the final out. One of the best postseason games in recent memory, for sure.

Lost in the chaos -- and it was chaotic at times -- was some rather superb middle relief work for the Red Sox. Rick Porcello got hit around and was running on fumes in Game 4, perhaps because he's been serving as a setup man between starts, and he was out of the game after four innings. Four middle relievers soaked up three innings to get the ball to Craig Kimbrel for the six-out save.

Among those four relievers was journeyman right-hander Ryan Brasier, who earlier in the series joked he was in a hotel room in Japan at this time last year. He signed a minor-league contract with the Red Sox over the winter, and, since being promoted from Triple-A in July, he's emerged as a reliable setup man. He retired five of seven batters he faced in Game 4 and has appeared in seven of the club's eight postseason games.

Ryan Brasier
LAD • RP • #57
2018 MLB postseason
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"He's been amazing for us. He's a great story. Everybody knows about it," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said following the Game 4 win. "Attacks the zone, gets swings and misses in the zone. Expands it and that was another guy that we knew in October he could give us multiple innings, more than three outs. And tonight he was outstanding."

Matt Barnes, Cora's other primary setup guy this postseason, recorded one out in Game 4 and it was a big one. He struck out pinch-hitter Tyler White to end the seventh inning with runners on second and third. The Red Sox led 7-5 at the time, so the tying run was at second base. Barnes has six strikeouts in 5 2/3 hitless and scoreless innings so far this postseason.

"Just felt that that was his out right there," said Cora when asked whether Barnes was limited in Game 4 and thus not sent back out for the eighth inning. "We knew that we were going to extend Craig if the situation was right and that's why we brought him in."

For much of the regular season, the bridge to Kimbrel was a major sore spot for the Red Sox. Boston's pitching staff collectively posted a 4.28 ERA in the eighth inning this year, which was 11th highest in baseball and far and away the highest among postseason teams. Brasier settled that down somewhat, but it was still a question coming into the season.

Rather than continue to be a weakness, Brasier and Barnes have stepped up significantly in the postseason, and they're getting enormous outs between the starter and closer. In fact, given Kimbrel's general shakiness lately, it wouldn't be crazy to call Brasier and Barnes the team's two most reliable relievers. They've solved a major problem in October and have helped the Red Sox move to one win away from an American League pennant.

"Everybody on this team is all-in. They don't care what they have to do to win. That showed tonight," added Benintendi. "Bullpen came in and did a great job. That's a tough lineup to face. They're not going to give up easily. They did a really good job."