Rays 'crushed' but proud as unexpected season ends in World Series loss

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Sadness, as expected, tinted the home clubhouse at Tropicana Field after midnight Thursday morning. The Tampa Bay Rays were still coming to terms with losing the World Series to the Milwaukee Brewers in five games. An eight-plus-month journey that started with a celebrated return to their home ballpark and that was spent defying expectations and becoming as tight-knit as a professional ballclub can become was suddenly over with a 4-1 loss Wednesday . There was heartache. There were tears. But, above all, there was pride. "I'm really just proud," Rays All-Star closer Bryan Baker said.