Rays force Game 5 after 12th-inning rally against Brewers

The Tampa Bay Rays forced a Game 5 in the World Series by defeating the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 on Tuesday night. The victory ended an eight-game winning streak for Milwaukee and kept Tampa Bay alive after falling behind 3-0 in the best-of-seven series. The win came on a dramatic rally in the bottom of the 12th inning.

Cooper Pratt hit a tiebreaking home run off Ian Seymour in the top of the 12th, putting the Brewers ahead. However, a throwing error by third baseman Joey Ortiz on a leadoff grounder from Junior Caminero ignited the comeback. Liam Hicks followed with a single, and pinch-runner Cedric Mullins scored on a single by Jonny DeLuca to tie the game at three.

With the bases loaded, Ben Williamson hit a chopper over first baseman Jake Bauers and into right field to break the tie. Williamson, who had been 1 for 15 in the postseason, said the team's motto was to fight. “We continue to fight, and that’s been the motto this series and this full season, is just fight,” Williamson said. Chandler Simpson, who had an RBI double earlier in the game, added that the team was committed to fighting until the last pitch.

The Brewers had been on the verge of sweeping the series and capturing their first World Series title. Milwaukee had previously swept the National League Championship Series, seeking to become only the second team to do both in a single season. David Hamilton also hit a home run for Milwaukee, driving a fastball into the right-field seats against Griffin Jax.

Junior Caminero left the game with an injured left foot after twisting to avoid a tag and coming home on the error. He was replaced at third base by Mullins but said he would play in Game 5. Manager Kevin Cash confirmed the plan. “He’ll play tomorrow on one leg. I’ll make sure of it,” Cash said.

Tampa Bay became just the fifth team in World Series history to win Game 4 after falling behind 3-0. The previous four teams to accomplish this feat lost Game 5. In the broader postseason, only the 2004 Boston Red Sox have overcome a 3-0 deficit to win a best-of-seven series.

Game 5 is scheduled for Wednesday night at Tropicana Field. Jacob Misiorowski, the National League Cy Young Award favorite, is scheduled to start for the Brewers. Cash said he had not yet decided on a starter for the Rays. The crowd of 40,514 included many Milwaukee fans waving yellow towels and wearing cheeseheads, bringing a distinct atmosphere to the stadium in St. Petersburg.

The game featured several key performances from younger players. Pratt, a 22-year-old rookie, became the first rookie to hit an extra-inning home run in World Series history. Jackson Chourio of the Brewers finished the game with a single and a double, improving to 10 for 20 in the series. The Rays returned to their standard white home jerseys after wearing Devil Rays throwbacks in the previous game.