Brewers Hold Series Record Rally to Take 3-0 World Series Lead
Milwaukee scored eight two-out runs in the fifth inning to beat Tampa Bay 10-1, moving one win away from their first championship.
By Dylan Moore ·
Eight two-out runs. That is the new World Series record, set by the Milwaukee Brewers during the fifth inning of Game 3 on Monday night. The rally buried the Tampa Bay Rays in a 10-1 loss at Tropicana Field. Milwaukee now holds a 3-0 lead in the Fall Classic, one victory away from the first title in franchise history.
The offensive surge began against former Brewer Freddy Peralta. After he gave way to left-hander Cam Booser with the bases loaded and two outs, Brice Turang grounded a sharp single that slipped past shortstop Taylor Walls. Turang’s two-run hit ignited a seven-hit stretch for Milwaukee. The Brewers scored all eight runs without a home run, relying on contact hitting that defined their 103-win regular season. Jackson Chourio collected four hits, while William Contreras added three to reach 18 total hits in the postseason, a franchise record.
Manager Pat Murphy emphasized the team’s consistency rather than the record-setting nature of the inning. "The guys play hard," Murphy said. "They don't give in. They make every pitch count, and that's what it takes to win." He noted that Tampa Bay remains a capable opponent in a best-of-seven format.
Rookie left-hander Robert Gasser anchored the rotation with a six-inning shutout, allowing just one hit. He faced the minimum number of batters, becoming the first left-hander to do so over at least six innings in a World Series game since Sandy Koufax in 1965. Gasser’s postseason earned run average dropped to 0.60 over 15 innings. Veteran Brandon Woodruff, 33, made his first appearance since a shoulder injury sustained on July 4, retiring the final three batters in the ninth.
History favors the Brewers, who have outscored the Rays 18-7 in the series. In 121 previous World Series, all 25 teams that held a 3-0 lead won the championship. Twenty-one of those series ended in a sweep. The Rays, playing their first home World Series game since 2008, acknowledged the disparity in play. Third baseman Junior Caminero stated through an interpreter, "I assure you 100% that we want to give the best of each of us. But they're just playing better and things are going their way."
Game 4 is scheduled for Tuesday night. Milwaukee will attempt to join the 1976 Cincinnati Reds as the only teams to sweep both the League Championship Series and the World Series in the modern era.
Brewers fans filled the stands in Tampa Bay, creating a home-away-from-home atmosphere. Captain Christian Yelich praised the crowd’s energy from batting practice through the final out. The team plans to treat the next game with the same intensity as a Game 7, focusing on winning each pitch and at-bat.
Source: ESPN
