An eight-run fifth inning powered Milwaukee to a commanding victory at Tropicana Field, giving the Brewers a 3-0 series lead and putting them one win away from their first World Series championship.
The Milwaukee Brewers moved within one victory of their first World Series championship Monday, October 26, defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 10-1 in Game 3 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. Milwaukee broke open the Major League Baseball championship game with a historic eight-run fifth inning, taking a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
The Brewers collected 16 hits while starting pitcher Robert Gasser held Tampa Bay scoreless through six innings. Jackson Chourio led Milwaukee with four hits, continuing a postseason performance that has helped bring the franchise closer to its first championship.
The Rays entered the evening looking to recover from consecutive one-run defeats in Milwaukee. Instead, they encountered an offense that repeatedly delivered with runners on base and a pitching staff that limited their scoring opportunities.
Milwaukee Breaks Game Open With Historic Fifth Inning
The game remained scoreless through two innings before Milwaukee took control in the third. Christian Yelich and William Contreras delivered consecutive run-scoring singles against Tampa Bay starter Freddy Peralta, giving the Brewers a 2-0 advantage.
Peralta initially kept the damage limited against the organization where he spent the first eight seasons of his major league career. The right-hander had been a major reason Tampa Bay reached the World Series, earning American League Championship Series Most Valuable Player honors.
The situation changed dramatically in the fifth inning.
Chourio singled with one out and stole second with two outs. Yelich drew a walk, bringing Contreras to the plate with Milwaukee threatening to extend its lead.
Contreras hit a ground ball toward third baseman Junior Caminero, who threw to second for what initially appeared to be the inning-ending forceout. Milwaukee challenged the call, and replay showed Yelich reaching the base before the throw arrived.
The overturned call kept the inning alive and proved costly for Tampa Bay. Peralta left the game, and reliever Cam Booser entered with the bases loaded.
Brice Turang immediately delivered a two-run single, pushing Milwaukee ahead 4-0. Garrett Mitchell followed with another run-scoring single, extending the lead to five runs.
Cooper Pratt then doubled home two more runners, making the score 7-0. Sal Frelick followed with an RBI double, continuing a remarkable stretch of hits against the Tampa Bay bullpen.
Booser departed after facing four batters without recording an out. Cole Sulser entered, but the Brewers continued their attack.
David Hamilton singled home another run before Chourio returned to the plate and delivered an RBI double. By the time Tampa Bay finally recorded the third out, Milwaukee had scored eight runs in the inning and built a 10-0 lead.
According to Major League Baseball, the Brewers became the first team to score eight runs with two outs in a single World Series inning. Their seven consecutive two-out hits also established a postseason record.
The rally featured no home runs. Instead, Milwaukee combined singles, doubles, a walk and aggressive baserunning to overwhelm the Rays.
Jackson Chourio Leads Milwaukee’s Offense
Chourio, 22, continued to establish himself as one of Milwaukee’s most important postseason contributors.
The outfielder finished Game 3 with four hits in five at-bats, two runs scored and an RBI. He recorded two of those hits during the decisive fifth inning.
His performance also earned a place in World Series history.
MLB reported that Chourio became the youngest player to collect four hits in a World Series game since Joe Garagiola accomplished the feat in 1946. Garagiola was 20 at the time, while Chourio was 22 years and 229 days old.
Chourio was far from the only Milwaukee player delivering at the plate. Contreras finished with three hits, while Turang contributed three hits and two runs batted in.
Yelich added two hits and an RBI. Pratt also drove in two runs, helping transform a close contest into a comfortable Milwaukee advantage.
The production demonstrated the depth of a Brewers lineup that has repeatedly found ways to score throughout the postseason.
Robert Gasser Shuts Down Tampa Bay
While Milwaukee’s offense generated the biggest headlines, Gasser delivered another important postseason start.
The left-hander pitched six scoreless innings, allowing only one hit and one walk while striking out three batters. His performance kept Tampa Bay from developing any sustained offensive pressure during the early and middle portions of the game.
Gasser entered the matchup following a strong appearance against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series. He had thrown five scoreless innings in that contest, helping Milwaukee advance toward its first World Series appearance since 1982.
Against Tampa Bay, Gasser remained effective even when Rays hitters made solid contact. Milwaukee’s defense supported him with several important plays that prevented the home team from building rallies.
One of Tampa Bay’s defensive highlights came from Chandler Simpson, who made a difficult catch near the outfield wall on a line drive by Frelick. The play prevented an extra-base hit and briefly helped the Rays keep the game within reach.
However, defensive plays alone could not overcome Milwaukee’s sustained offensive pressure.
Tampa Bay avoided a shutout in the ninth inning when Yandy Díaz delivered a run-scoring double. The late hit accounted for the Rays’ only run in the 10-1 defeat.
Freddy Peralta Faces His Former Team
Peralta’s Game 3 assignment carried additional significance because of his long history with Milwaukee.
The Dominican right-hander spent the 2018 through 2025 seasons with the Brewers and became one of their most dependable starting pitchers.
He earned American League and National League recognition at different stages of his career, including National League All-Star selections in 2021 and 2025. During the 2025 season, he led the National League with 17 victories.
Milwaukee traded Peralta and Tobias Myers to the New York Mets on January 21, 2026, receiving pitching prospect Brandon Sproat and shortstop Jett Williams.
His stay in New York lasted only part of the season.
On August 2, the Mets traded Peralta to Tampa Bay in exchange for three minor league players. He then became an important contributor as the Rays advanced through the American League playoffs.
Peralta entered Game 3 with a 1.08 postseason ERA and had allowed only two earned runs across 16⅔ innings before facing his former teammates.
Although he initially limited Milwaukee’s scoring, he could not escape the fifth-inning rally. The Brewers eventually overwhelmed Tampa Bay’s bullpen after his departure.
Rays Face Elimination in Game 4
The World Series began with two close games at American Family Field.
Milwaukee won the opener 3-2 on October 23, then overcame an early four-run deficit to defeat Tampa Bay 5-4 the following night.
The second victory gave the Brewers a two-game lead before the series shifted to Florida.
Tampa Bay hoped the return to Tropicana Field would provide an opportunity to reverse its fortunes. The Rays had reached the World Series by defeating the Cleveland Guardians in six games in the American League Championship Series.
Milwaukee reached the championship round by sweeping the defending National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers in four games.
Neither the Brewers nor the Rays has ever won a World Series championship. Milwaukee’s previous appearance came in 1982, when the franchise lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games.
Tampa Bay previously reached the World Series in 2008 and 2020, losing both appearances.
The history now presents a particularly difficult challenge for the Rays. No team has ever recovered from a 3-0 deficit to win the World Series, although the Boston Red Sox accomplished that comeback against the New York Yankees in the 2004 American League Championship Series.
Game 4 is scheduled for Tuesday, October 27, at Tropicana Field, with first pitch at 8 p.m. Eastern.
Milwaukee needs one more victory to secure the first World Series title in its franchise history. Tampa Bay must win four consecutive games to keep the championship from leaving Florida.
IMAGE: Hak-Ju Lee. Photo: Bryan Green on Flickr (Original version) 佾珜 (Crop) / Wikimedia, taken 2013-02-24, CC BY-SA 2.0