ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays were three outs away from watching the Milwaukee Brewers celebrate their first World Series championship Tuesday night. Instead, a dramatic 12th-inning comeback kept Tampa Bay’s season alive and prevented Milwaukee from completing a four-game sweep.
Pinch-hitter Ben Williamson delivered a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the 12th inning, lifting the Rays to a 4-3 victory in Game 4 of the World Series at Tropicana Field. The victory cut Milwaukee’s series lead to 3-1 and forced a Game 5 on Wednesday night. (MLB)
After dropping the first three games of the series, including a 10-1 defeat in Game 3, Tampa Bay entered Tuesday facing elimination. The Rays had struggled to generate consistent offense against Milwaukee’s pitching staff, but their resilience in the final inning produced one of the most memorable finishes of the 2026 postseason.
Brewers Come Within Three Outs of Championship
The game began as a tightly contested matchup, with both teams exchanging early runs before settling into a prolonged pitching battle.
Tampa Bay struck first in the second inning when Chandler Simpson delivered an RBI double against Milwaukee starter Dustin May. The Brewers responded in the fourth when rookie shortstop Cooper Pratt drove home Sal Frelick with a double, tying the game at one.
The Rays regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth after a throwing error by Milwaukee third baseman David Hamilton allowed Junior Caminero to score. However, Hamilton quickly made up for his mistake, launching a solo home run in the fifth inning to tie the game at 2-2.
From there, neither offense could break through for six consecutive innings. Both bullpens delivered important performances, keeping the score tied deep into extra innings as the pressure continued to build. (AP)
Milwaukee finally appeared to deliver the decisive blow in the top of the 12th inning.
Pratt, already enjoying an impressive performance, launched a go-ahead solo home run off Rays reliever Ian Seymour, giving the Brewers a 3-2 advantage. The blast was Pratt’s fourth hit of the night and put Milwaukee just three outs away from capturing the first World Series championship in franchise history.
With the Brewers holding a commanding 3-0 series lead entering the night, the home run appeared destined to become one of the defining moments in Milwaukee baseball history.
However, Tampa Bay had one final response.
Williamson Delivers Season-Saving Walk-Off
The bottom of the 12th began with an opportunity created by Milwaukee’s defense.
Junior Caminero reached base after Brewers third baseman Joey Ortiz committed a throwing error, allowing Tampa Bay to put its leadoff hitter aboard.
Liam Hicks followed with a single, putting runners on the corners after Cedric Mullins entered as a pinch-runner for Caminero. Jonny DeLuca then delivered an RBI single to center field, bringing Mullins home and tying the game at three.
Chandler Simpson followed with another single, loading the bases and putting Milwaukee’s pitching staff in an increasingly difficult situation.
With the bases loaded, pinch-hitter Ben Williamson stepped to the plate against Brewers reliever Shane Drohan.
Williamson, who had recorded just one hit in 15 postseason at-bats entering the moment, connected on the first pitch he saw. His high-bouncing ground ball cleared first baseman Jake Bauers and landed in right field, allowing pinch-runner Nick Fortes to score the winning run.
The Rays poured out of their dugout as Williamson’s teammates mobbed him near first base, celebrating a 4-3 victory that extended their season for at least another game.
Tampa Bay had produced four consecutive singles in the 12th inning after managing just five hits through the first 11 frames. (CBS Sports)
The comeback was particularly remarkable considering how close Milwaukee had been to completing the sweep. The Brewers had controlled much of the series, but a defensive mistake and a sudden offensive surge changed the outcome in a matter of minutes.
A Historic Victory Keeps Tampa Bay Alive
Tuesday’s victory placed the Rays in rare company.
Tampa Bay became just the fifth team in World Series history to force a Game 5 after falling behind 3-0 in the series. The previous four teams to accomplish that feat ultimately lost Game 5.
The Rays also became the first team since the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals to avoid World Series elimination with a walk-off victory. St. Louis famously went on to win that championship after its dramatic Game 6 comeback against the Texas Rangers. (CBS Sports)
The victory also ended Milwaukee’s eight-game postseason winning streak, which had carried the Brewers through their National League Championship Series sweep and the first three games of the World Series.
Milwaukee had been attempting to become the first team since the 2012 San Francisco Giants to sweep the World Series. Instead, the Brewers will have to wait at least another night for an opportunity to secure their first championship. (MLB)
Milwaukee Still Controls the Series Entering Game 5
Despite the heartbreaking defeat, the Brewers remain in a favorable position with a 3-1 advantage in the best-of-seven series.
Milwaukee has demonstrated its offensive depth throughout the postseason, and Pratt’s four-hit performance in Game 4 provided another example of the team’s emerging young talent.
Jackson Chourio also continued his impressive World Series, collecting two hits Tuesday and improving to 10-for-20 through the first four games, matching Babe Ruth’s 1928 mark for hits through four games of a World Series.
The Brewers will turn to Jacob Misiorowski for Game 5, hoping the right-hander can deliver the franchise’s long-awaited championship. Milwaukee needs only one more victory, while Tampa Bay must win three consecutive games to complete an unprecedented World Series comeback. (UPI)
Game 5 is scheduled for Wednesday, October 28, at 8 p.m. ET at Tropicana Field.
Can the Rays Make World Series History?
The challenge facing Tampa Bay remains enormous.
No team in Major League Baseball history has overcome a 3-0 deficit to win the World Series. The only team to accomplish that comeback in any best-of-seven MLB postseason series was the 2004 Boston Red Sox, who rallied against the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series before winning the World Series.
The Rays are still a long way from joining that historic group, but Tuesday’s victory at least gives them an opportunity to continue the pursuit.
For Milwaukee, the loss represents a missed opportunity rather than a complete shift in control. The Brewers remain one win away from a championship and will have three more chances to finish the series if necessary.
For Tampa Bay, however, the significance of Tuesday’s comeback extends beyond a single victory. After appearing overwhelmed through the first three games, the Rays finally demonstrated the timely hitting and determination that helped carry them to the American League pennant.
One dramatic inning does not erase a 3-1 deficit, but it has ensured that the World Series will continue.
And after coming within three outs of elimination, the Rays have given themselves something they did not appear to have entering the bottom of the 12th inning: another chance.
