Tampa Bay Rays Escape Elimination After 12th-Inning Rally

Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash pulled pinch-hitter Ben Williamson to the plate in the bottom of the 12th inning with the series on the line. Williamson, who was batting 1 for 15 in the postseason, hit a chopper over first baseman Jake Bauers into right field. The single drove in the tying run and forced the game to the 12th inning's final moments, where the Rays completed a 4-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday night. The win prevented a World Series sweep and pushed the best-of-seven series to a decisive Game 5.

The Brewers had taken a 3-1 lead in the top of the 12th when Cooper Pratt homered off reliever Ian Seymour. Pratt, a 22-year-old rookie, drove a slider into the left-field seats for his fourth hit of the game. The homer was his second extra-inning home run of the series, cementing his status as the first rookie to hit such a shot in World Series history. Milwaukee, which had won the first three games, appeared poised to claim its first championship.

The tide turned in the bottom of the 12th on a throwing error by Brewers third baseman Joey Ortiz. Junior Caminero grounded into the play against reliever Antonio Senzatela, but Ortiz mishandled the ball, allowing Caminero to advance. Liam Hicks then singled off rookie left-hander Shane Drohan, who made his first appearance since Oct. 15. Jonny DeLuca followed with a single to center field, driving in pinch-runner Cedric Mullins to tie the score at 3.

Chandler Simpson loaded the bases with a single, prompting Milwaukee to employ a five-man infield with the infield in. Williamson then delivered the decisive hit. Cash described the moment simply: “That was totally what I told him to do.” The manager also noted the magnitude of the swing, saying he would need to review the replay to recall the details. The Rays became the fourth team in World Series history to avoid elimination with an extra-inning comeback.

Historical records indicate that the previous three teams to achieve this feat, the 1912 Red Sox, 1986 Mets, and 2011 Cardinals, all went on to win the championship. According to OptaSTATS, Tampa Bay is the fifth team to win a fourth game after trailing 3-0 in a World Series. The previous four teams in that position lost the subsequent game. In a wider postseason context, only the Boston Red Sox of 2004 have ever come back from a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven series to win the championship.

Caminero, who sustained an injury to his left foot during the at-bat that started the rally, was replaced by Mullins at third base. He hobbled off the field but confirmed he will start Wednesday night's Game 5. Cash assured reporters of the slugger’s durability: “He’ll play tomorrow on one leg. I’ll make sure of it.” The Rays ended an eight-game winning streak for the Brewers, who were aiming to become only the second team to sweep both the League Championship Series and the World Series.

Milwaukee pitcher Jacob Misiorowski, the favorite for the National League Cy Young Award, is scheduled to start Game 5 at Tropicana Field. Cash has not yet announced Tampa Bay’s starting pitcher. The crowd at the stadium totaled 40,514, with many Milwaukee fans waving yellow towels and wearing cheeseheads. The Rays returned to their white home jerseys for the game, a departure from the Devil Rays throwbacks worn the previous night.

Earlier in the game, Simpson hit an RBI double off starter Dustin May in the second inning. The Brewers tied the score in the fourth when Garrett Mitchell singled and came around on Pratt’s double. David Hamilton also homered for Milwaukee, driving an 0-2 fastball into the right-field seats for his second home run of the postseason. Jackson Chourio improved to 10 for 20 in the Series with a single and a double. Brewers captain Christian Yelich acknowledged the difficulty of the situation, stating that winning a championship requires surviving hard moments.