In episode 9 of The Wonder Years, it's Christmas time. The children are sulking because their father didn't want to buy them a color TV. It has not been a good day for the family. Only Norma is not boring (or seems so). In some point, the narrator says:
NARRATOR: That night, all the seams were showing. Only Mom [Norma] was in there pitching like a lone fireman at a five-alarm blaze.
NORMA: Eggnog, anyone? Lydia Herschmuller just called. To remind us about the carolling party tonight. I told her we’d be there with bells on!
I guess the narrator wanted to show that Norma was being resilient and was trying to cheer them up. But I couldn't find a appropriate synonymous for "pitching" in the sentence above. Could someone help me? Thanks in advance!