Rays Force Game 5 After 12th-Inning Rally

The Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 in the 12th inning on Tuesday night, forcing a decisive fifth game in the World Series. The victory stopped the Brewers from becoming the second team in history to sweep both a league championship and the World Series. The win also ended an eight-game winning streak for Milwaukee.

Cooper Pratt provided the lead for the Brewers in the top of the 12th. The 22-year-old rookie hit a tiebreaking home run off Ian Seymour. It was his fourth hit of the game. Milwaukee had been one out away from winning the championship before the rally began.

The Rays turned the game in the bottom of the 12th after a throwing error. Joey Ortiz, playing third base for Milwaukee, dropped a grounder from Junior Caminero. The error occurred while reliever Antonio Senzatela was on the mound. Caminero advanced on the play before being replaced by pinch runner Cedric Mullins.

Liam Hicks singled to put a runner on base. DeLuca then singled to center field, driving in Mullins to tie the score at 3. Chandler Simpson followed with a single that loaded the bases. The Brewers shifted their infield to a five-man setup, but Ben Williamson delivered the winning hit.

Williamson, who had gone 1 for 15 in the postseason, batted for Victor Mesa Jr. He chipped a ball over first baseman Jake Bauers into right field. Rays manager Kevin Cash said he instructed Williamson to take the ball to that spot. Cash described the hit as a pretty big swing and said he would need to review the play later.

Junior Caminero left the game with an injured left foot after the leadoff play. He said he will play in Wednesday's Game 5. Cash stated that he would make sure Caminero plays tomorrow, even if he is on one leg. The Rays will return to their white home jerseys for the next game after wearing throwback uniforms on Tuesday.

Jacob Misiorowski is scheduled to start for the Brewers in Game 5 at Tropicana Field on Wednesday night. Cash has not yet announced the Rays starter. Tampa Bay becomes the fourth team in World Series history to avoid elimination with an extra-inning comeback. The previous three teams to do so, the 1912 Red Sox, 1986 Mets, and 2011 Cardinals, all went on to win the title.

Milwaukee captain Christian Yelich said the team must survive hard things to win a championship. He noted that the series is supposed to test the players. Brewers manager Pat Murphy praised Pratt for responding to pressure. The crowd at Tropicana Field numbered 40,514, with many fans waving yellow towels.