The Tampa Bay Rays extended the World Series on Wednesday morning with a 4-3 victoory over the Milwaukee Brewers in a 13-inning marathon at Tropicana Field. A walk-off hit by Ben Williamson forced a decisive Game 5, preventing Milwaukee from securing its first championship since 1982.
The 5th team in 25 to defy a 3-0 deficit
The Tampa Bay Rays have entered a rarefied air of baseball history. According to the report, only four of the previous 25 teams to trail 3-0 in a best-of-seven World Series managed to force a Game 5. By securing this victory, the Rays became the fifth team to achieve such a feat, transforming a near-certain defeat into a high-stakes finale.
This resilience echoes the grit the Tampa Bay Rays displayed following a heavy 10-1 loss in Game 3. While the Milwaukee Brewers entered the series as heavy favorites with a 103-59 regular-season record, the Rays have proven that the momentum of a 3-0 lead can be fragile when faced with a team refusing to concede.
Cooper Pratt's 396-foot blast and the 13th-inning collapse
The Milwaukee Brewers appeared to have the title secured in the top of the 13th inning. Rookie Cooper Pratt, who signed an eight-year contract extension in April, hammered a 396-foot solo home run off Ian Seymour to give Milwaukee a 3-2 lead. As reported, Pratt was a dominant force throughout the series, finishing the game 4-for-5 with an RBI double.
However, the lead evaporated in the bottom half of the frame. A critical error by Brewers third baseman Joey Ortiz allowed Junior Caminero to reach base, sparking a rally. Singles from Liam Hicks and Jonny DeLuca tied the game at 3-3, and after Chandler Simpson loaded the bases, Ben Williamson—the final player on the Rays' bench—delivered the winning grounder to end the game.
Saving Jacob Misiorowski for the Game 5 finale
A pivotal strategic decision by Brewers manager Pat Murphy may now define the series. Rather than deploying Jacob Misiorowski, the NL Cy Young favorite, during the 13-inning struggle, Murphy saved him for the Game 5 start. This decision left the Brewers relying on a bullpen that had been nearly untouchable, boasting a 1.34 ERA and an 8-1 record in the postseason.
Despite the strength of arms like Aaron Ashby, who has recorded 18 consecutive scoreless relief innings this October, the Milwaukee Brewers' bullpen eventually succumbed to exhaustion. The Rays' ability to push the game into the 13th inning effectively drained the Brewers' high-leverage options, poentially shifting the tactical advantage for the final game.
Joey Ortiz's error and the Brewers' poostseason sloppiness
The game highlighted a troubling trend for the Milwaukee Brewers. While the team is typically known for its defensive reliability, the report notes that Milwaukee has committed more than twice as many errors as any other team this postseason. The error by Joey Ortiz in the 13th was the tipping point, but earlier mistakes, including a botched play by David Hamilton that allowed Junior Caminero to score in the fourth, signaled a lack of composure.
This defensive instability raises a significant question: why has a team with such a dominant regular season suddenly become prone to critical mistakes under pressure? While David Hamilton showed versatility by hitting a 391-foot home run off Griffin Jax, the Brewers' inability to execute simple defensive plays has provided the Tampa Bay Rays a lifeline they arguably should not have had.
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