The Milwaukee Brewers now hold a commanding 3-1 lead in the World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays, despite their bid for a series sweep being thwarted in a dramatic Game 4. The Brewers had initially taken a formidable 3-0 advantage after crushing the Rays 10-1 in Game 3 on Monday night.
Game 3 saw the Brewers’ offence ignite, with Jackson Chourio and Brice Turang sparking an eight-run fifth inning. This rout moved Milwaukee within one victory of their first World Series title, with manager Pat Murphy stating, “The guys play hard. They don’t give in. They make every pitch count, and that’s what it takes to win.”
Gasser’s Historic Performance
A key factor in the Brewers’ dominant Game 3 victory was rookie left-hander Robert Gasser, who delivered a sensational performance. Gasser pitched one-hit ball and faced the minimum through six innings, allowing only a line-drive single to Yandy Díaz leading off the bottom of the first. He then retired 14 straight batters before a walk in the sixth, becoming the first starter to face the minimum 18 batters through six innings of a World Series game since Arizona’s Curt Schilling in 2001, and the first left-hander since Sandy Koufax for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1965, according to The Guardian.
Gasser has been exceptional this postseason, allowing just one run in 15 innings over three road starts. The Milwaukee Brewers’ strong postseason run has included an earlier impressive performance, securing a dominant 2-0 NLCS lead over the Dodgers, a testament to their form (Brewers Secure Dominant 2-0 NLCS Lead Over Dodgers).
Rays Prevent Sweep in Dramatic Game 4
Following their comprehensive Game 3 defeat, the Tampa Bay Rays fought back to avoid a sweep in Game 4, securing a 4-3 victory in 12 innings on Tuesday night. This result means the series now stands at 3-1 in favour of the Milwaukee Brewers, with Game 5 scheduled for Wednesday night at Tropicana Field. The Rays’ victory broke the Brewers’ eight-game postseason winning streak and four-game road winning streak.
Despite the Game 4 loss, the Brewers remain in a strong position. Of the 25 previous teams who took a 3-0 lead in the World Series, 21 went on to sweep the series and four won in five games. The only major league team to ever rally from a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven postseason series was the 2004 Boston Red Sox in the American League Championship Series, as reported by MLB.com. No team in World Series history has made it as far as Game 6 after being in a 3-0 hole, underscoring the challenge facing the Rays.
Brewers Eye First World Series Title
The Milwaukee Brewers, originally the Seattle Pilots in 1969 before relocating and being renamed in 1970, are aiming for their first World Series championship. Their only other trip to the World Series came in 1982 as an American League team, where they lost to St Louis in Game 7. Manager Pat Murphy, 67, leads a team now just one win away from ending this championship drought.
The Tampa Bay Rays, who led the AL with 98 wins in the regular season, have never won a World Series in their 29 seasons, losing in 2008 and 2020. Rays third baseman Junior Caminero acknowledged the Brewers’ performance after Game 3, stating, “But they’re just playing better and things are going their way.”
