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U.S. Edition Est. 2026 Oct. 28, 2026

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Rays Beat Brewers 4-3 in 12 Innings to Avoid World Series Sweep and Force Game 5

Ben Williamson's walk-off single in the 12th inning capped a Tampa Bay comeback Tuesday night in St. Petersburg, cutting Milwaukee's World Series lead to 3-1 and setting up Game 5 on Wednesday.

Baseball players in plain uniforms celebrating together at home plate under stadium lights at night

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. The Tampa Bay Rays beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 in 12 innings Tuesday night at Tropicana Field, avoiding a sweep and cutting Milwaukee’s lead in the World Series to 3-1. Milwaukee had taken a 3-0 lead with a 10-1 win in Game 3.

A batter swinging at a pitch in a domed baseball stadium at night, with a catcher and umpire behind home plate

Milwaukee went ahead in the top of the 12th inning. Rookie shortstop Cooper Pratt hit a home run that broke a 2-2 tie and put the Brewers up 3-2. Milwaukee needed three outs in the bottom of the inning to close out the series.

The Rays answered at once. Third baseman Joey Ortiz threw Junior Caminero’s routine ground ball past first baseman Jake Bauers, and the inning opened up. Catcher Liam Hicks singled to left field, sending pinch-runner Cedric Mullins to third base. Jonny DeLuca singled up the middle past a drawn-in infield to tie the game 3-3. Chandler Simpson singled to center to load the bases, and pinch-hitter Ben Williamson singled to right field for the winning run.

A baseball pitcher in a plain dark uniform standing on the mound holding a ball under stadium lights at night

The hit that kept Tampa Bay alive

Williamson had gone hitless in the first three games of the series. The single was his first World Series hit. He told NPR that sitting on the bench was nerve-racking, and that once he reached the plate he was trying to move the ball and see if something happened. He said the ball found a hole.

The loss fell to rookie reliever Shane Drohan, who entered in the 12th inning with Milwaukee ahead by one run. Drohan gave up four hits and the winning run. Brewers manager Pat Murphy said after the game that he did not turn to Jacob Misiorowski in that spot, saying, “You can’t blow that type of situation on a one-run lead on the road.”

Baseball fans in stadium stands at night with their hands raised, facing the field

What comes next

Game 5 is Wednesday in St. Petersburg. Misiorowski will start for Milwaukee, which needs one more win for its first championship. Tampa Bay needs three straight wins. No team has come back to win the World Series after losing the first three games, according to NPR.

Reporting based on coverage by NPR and USA Today.