Brewers rout Rays 10-1 and stand one win from their first World Series title after eight two-out runs in a single inning

The Milwaukee Brewers moved within one victory of their first World Series championship on Monday night, Oct. 26, after routing the Tampa Bay Rays 10-1 in Game 3 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla., according to AP (AP via FOX Sports). The win gave Milwaukee a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series and its eighth straight victory this postseason, which ties the record for a single postseason, the agency reports (AP via FOX Sports). The game started at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT) and ran three hours, according to the Baseball-Reference box score (Baseball-Reference).

One inning decided it. With Milwaukee ahead 2-0 in the fifth, Chourio singled with one out and stole second with two outs, Christian Yelich walked, and William Contreras chopped a ball to third baseman Junior Caminero, who threw to second for what looked like the final out, AP reports (AP via FOX Sports). The umpire first called Yelich out; a replay review overturned the call, MLB.com writes, because Yelich’s right foot reached the bag before the throw (MLB.com). MLB.com’s game story says the Brewers challenged the call (MLB.com). Instead of a scoreless fifth, Milwaukee had the bases loaded, and Rays starter Freddy Peralta left the game.

What followed ran without pause. Brice Turang lined a two-run single off the glove of shortstop Taylor Walls, Garrett Mitchell added an RBI single, Cooper Pratt hit a two-run double down the left-field line and Sal Frelick doubled in another run, AP reports (AP via FOX Sports). After the Rays brought in Cole Sulser, David Hamilton singled in a run and Chourio doubled in the 10th run, according to MLB.com (MLB.com). MLB.com counts 12 batters, eight hits, one walk and eight runs in the inning (MLB.com). “Knife to the chest,” Walls said of the Turang single, AP reports (AP via FOX Sports).

The record books took note. AP calls it the first time in World Series history that a team scored eight two-out runs in one inning, and it credits Milwaukee with a postseason-record seven straight hits (AP via FOX Sports). MLB’s account on X, citing OptaSTATS, called the Brewers the first team to get hits from seven consecutive batters in a postseason game (@MLB on X). The Brewers did it without a home run; MLB.com calls the game only the 16th time, and the first since 2014, that a team scored double-digit runs without going deep (MLB.com).

On the mound, Gasser left little for the Rays. The 27-year-old rookie allowed a leadoff single to Yandy Díaz in the first, then retired 14 straight before a walk to Victor Mesa Jr. to open the sixth, and a caught stealing and a double play left him facing the minimum, AP reports (AP via FOX Sports). He threw 75 pitches, according to MLB.com, which adds that Gasser stands as the first rookie starter with six scoreless one-hit innings in a World Series game (MLB.com). Across three road starts this postseason, he has allowed one run in 15 innings, AP writes (AP via FOX Sports).

Gasser described the fifth inning from the bench. “There was two outs, and next thing you know, 40 minutes later, I have to go out on the field,” he said, according to AP (AP via FOX Sports). He also credited the traveling fans: “Normally it’s 35,000 against nine, but tonight we had 20,000 people behind us,” he said, AP reports; the 20,000 figure comes from Gasser, not from any count (AP via FOX Sports). Brewers manager Pat Murphy said of the support, “It was amazing, the level of support we got tonight,” MLB.com reports (MLB.com).

Chourio, 22, set the pace at the plate. He finished 4 for 5 with a double, and AP reports that he became the second-youngest player with four hits and a stolen base in a World Series game, behind Ty Cobb in 1908 (AP via FOX Sports). He now has eight hits in three Series games, the agency writes. “He was tremendous. Locked in. Gives us a big lift,” Murphy said, AP reports (AP via FOX Sports). Turang and Contreras each finished 3 for 5 (AP via FOX Sports).

For Tampa Bay, the night unraveled at home. Peralta, the ALCS MVP against Cleveland and a former Brewer, gave up five runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings, AP reports (AP via FOX Sports). “It’s definitely deflating,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “How could it not be?” (AP via FOX Sports). Peralta read the Brewers’ approach this way, per MLB.com: “They weren't trying to hit homers or all that.” (MLB.com). The lone Rays run came in the ninth, when Díaz doubled in a run off Brandon Woodruff, MLB.com reports (MLB.com). Woodruff, back from a shoulder injury, made his first appearance in 3 1/2 months, according to AP (AP via FOX Sports).

History weighs against the Rays. Of the 43 earlier major league teams that fell behind 3-0 in a best-of-seven postseason series, only the 2004 Red Sox rallied to win, AP notes, and of the 25 earlier teams that took a 3-0 World Series lead, 21 swept and four won in five games (AP via FOX Sports). A Game 4 win would make Milwaukee the first team to sweep an LCS and a World Series since the 1976 Cincinnati Reds, according to AP (AP via FOX Sports). Cash framed it as a “chip and a chair” moment: “Obviously the only thing we can do is win tomorrow,” he said, AP reports (AP via FOX Sports).

Game 4 starts Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT) at Tropicana Field on FOX, MLB.com lists (MLB.com). Griffin Jax will start for Tampa Bay, and Milwaukee had not named a starter as of AP’s report (AP via FOX Sports). “We have one more to lock in for tomorrow to complete the mission,” Chourio said, according to AP (AP via FOX Sports).