MIAMI (NEWSCORE) -
Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon had to call on an unusual but effective messenger service after the bullpen phone went dead during Sunday's 4-2 win against the Marlins in Miami.
Right-hander James Shields was in a jam in the seventh inning, and Maddon wanted to get word to the bullpen that Jake McGee and Burke Badenhop needed to get loose.
Maddon asked pitching coach Jim Hickey to make the call, but he couldn't get through, according to MLB.com.
"Hick's like, 'The phone's not working, Joe. What should I do?'" Maddon said.
As Maddon called a timeout to address the umpires about the issue, Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen jokingly motioned as if he was disconnecting a cable.
Eventually, Maddon employed utility infielder Will Rhymes as a runner to deliver the message.
"Yeah, he looked like the fastest," Maddon said. "The [starting] pitchers are so disinterested at that point. They've been eating food the whole game, so they're not really able to run down to the bullpen, like he did.
"Rhymesy was eager ... he had that look in his eye, so I felt good about it."
Upon re-entering the dugout, Rhymes took a bow and was high-fived by teammates.
"It's hard work," Rhymes said. "But somebody had to do it."
