Milwaukee edges closer to ending 44 year title wait
A historic eight-run fifth inning puts Milwaukee ahead 3-1 in the World Series after a 10-1 rout of Tampa Bay.
By Vikram Harrison ·
The Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 10-1 on Monday night to take a 3-1 lead in the World Series. One more victory will secure the franchise's first championship. The win ended a 44-year title drought dating to 1982.
Milwaukee scored eight runs in the fifth inning. All eight runs were scored with two outs. This marked the first time in World Series history that a team scored eight two-out runs in a single inning. The team also recorded seven consecutive hits during the rally.
Brice Turang initiated the scoring with a two-run single. The ball bounced off the glove of shortstop Taylor Walls and rolled into shallow center field. Walls described the play as a knife to the chest. Garrett Mitchell followed with a single. Cooper Pratt grounded a two-run double. Sal Frelick lined a run-scoring double to make the score 8-0.
Robert Gasser pitched six one-hit innings. He faced the minimum 18 batters. He became the first starter to achieve this feat in a World Series game since Curt Schilling in 2001. He was also the first left-handed pitcher to do so since Sandy Koufax in 1965. Gasser allowed only one run in 15 postseason innings.
Jackson Chourio finished with four hits and a stolen base. He is the second-youngest player to record four hits and a stolen base in a World Series game. The only previous player to do so was Ty Cobb in 1908. Chourio said he treated every at-bat as if it were his last.
Manager Pat Murphy praised Chourio for his performance. Murphy noted that the player gave the team a big lift. Chourio has eight hits in three Series games. He compared his approach to the discipline of Kobe Bryant.
Tampa Bay starter Freddy Peralta was charged with five runs and seven hits in four and two-thirds innings. Rays manager Kevin Cash said Peralta felt good but tried to power through inconsistencies. Cash stated the team has a seat at the table and must win tomorrow.
The Brewers have won eight straight games. This ties the record for a single postseason. The team led the majors with 103 wins in the regular season. They swept the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series.
Game 4 is scheduled for Tuesday night at Tropicana Field. The Brewers had not announced a starter as of Monday. Griffin Jax is scheduled to start for Tampa Bay. The Rays led the American League with 98 wins in the regular season.
The crowd at Tropicana Field numbered 40,388. Many Brewers fans cheered from behind the visitors' dugout. Gasser noted that having 20,000 people supporting them on the road was a cool experience.
