Brewers rout Rays 10-1 in World Series Game 3, one win from first title

A fifth inning that broke the game open

The Brewers led only 2-0 in the fifth inning on Monday, 26 October, when Christian Yelich, the 34-year-old Brewers captain, drew a walk that put runners on first and second. Rays first baseman Ryan Vilade was playing well off the bag against right-handed hitter William Contreras, so Yelich took a long primary lead. When Contreras hit a grounder to the left side at 96.7 mph, Rays third baseman Junior Caminero fielded it and turned to throw to second, and Yelich beat the throw. Second base umpire Dan Bellino first ruled him out, but the Brewers challenged and the call was overturned. Contreras then singled to load the bases, and Milwaukee went on to score eight runs with two outs, the most ever in a World Series inning. Rays manager Kevin Cash said he found no fault with Caminero's decision to throw to second rather than first.

“The whole game was changed when Yeli was safe at second.”

Brewers manager Pat Murphy credited a hustle play that, in his words, anybody can do. Jackson Chourio had stolen second earlier in the same inning, and the sequence turned a close game into a rout.

Gasser's six innings and Woodruff's return

Rookie left-hander Robert Gasser allowed a leadoff single to Yandy Díaz in the first inning and a walk in the sixth, but a double play ended that threat. Antonio Senzatela then pitched two perfect innings before the game reached the ninth. Brandon Woodruff, 33, finished the game and allowed the Rays' only run on a double by Díaz. It was his first appearance since 4 July, when shoulder trouble sidelined him again, and his first postseason game in five years.

Woodruff said the moment carried more intensity than he had felt in some time.

“A lot more adrenaline than I've been used to in a while.”

Pitcher Jacob Misiorowski, the Brewers' young ace, described Woodruff as a mentor who helped teach him how to be a big leaguer.

“He basically taught me how to be a big leaguer.”

Rays errors and a lineup that kept hitting

The Rays made several mistakes that opened the door for Milwaukee. Chandler Simpson was thrown out trying to steal in the first inning after his slide carried him past second base. In the third, Victor Mesa Jr. failed to pick up a ball cleanly in right field, and a runner scored who otherwise would have stopped at third. With the bases loaded in the fifth, shortstop Taylor Walls failed to catch a hard-hit liner, and two runs scored. Milwaukee collected 16 hits in the game, with Chourio going 4 for 5 and Contreras 3 for 5, even though the Brewers did not hit a home run.

Milwaukee Brewers10

Tampa Bay Rays1

Milwaukee Brewers

10 runs

Tampa Bay Rays

1 runs

Data from the article text

Series status and what comes next

The Brewers have won eight straight postseason games and four in a row on the road. They now lead the World Series 3-0 and need one more win for the first title in the franchise's 57-year history. According to NOS, no team has come back from a 3-0 deficit to win the World Series. Game 4 is set for Tuesday night, 27 October, at Tropicana Field, and if the Rays win both Game 4 and Game 5 the series returns to Milwaukee.