Tampa Bay Rallies Past Milwaukee in 12 Innings, Forces Game 5
The Tampa Bay Rays staved off elimination with a 4-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in 12 innings at Tropicana Field, avoiding a sweep and extending the World Series to a fifth game. The Rays trailed after a go-ahead solo home run from Brewers rookie shortstop Cooper Pratt in the top of the 12th, then answered immediately in the bottom half with a fielding error and four consecutive singles to walk off the win.
Tampa Bay had been routed 10-1 in Game 3 and entered the night facing a 3-0 series deficit. The Rays took an early lead on an RBI single from Chandler Simpson, but Milwaukee tied it in the fourth on David Hamilton's home run off Griffin Jax. The Rays regained the lead later that inning after Junior Caminero scored on a throwing error by Hamilton, a sequence the Brewers unsuccessfully challenged. Milwaukee's bullpen - the postseason's best, entering the game with an 8-1 record and a sub-1.50 ERA - held Tampa Bay scoreless across the middle innings, with left-hander Aaron Ashby retiring all seven batters he faced to extend his scoreless relief streak this October. Pratt's homer in the 12th, his fourth RBI of the night, appeared to put the game away before Milwaukee reliever Shane Drohan allowed the decisive rally. bkfc bet
Pratt finished 4-for-5 and has driven in a run in each of the Brewers' last three games, a strong showing for a 21-year-old who made his major league debut this season after signing an eight-year contract extension in April. Hamilton, who hit just four home runs in the regular season, has now homered in two separate series-clinching opportunities this postseason - once against the Dodgers in the NL Championship Series and again Tuesday night. Only four of the previous 25 teams to fall behind 3-0 in a best-of-seven World Series had forced a Game 5; the Rays became the fifth.
Milwaukee is expected to start Jacob Misiorowski, considered a top contender for the NL Cy Young Award, in Game 5 after holding him out of Tuesday's marathon. Tampa Bay has not announced its starter, though Drew Rasmussen is a possibility on three days of rest after Nick Martinez worked two relief innings in Game 4. None of the four previous teams to force a Game 5 after trailing 3-0 in the World Series has gone on to win Game 6.
