To whoever said that you can’t rely on stringing together multiple hits to win a World Series game, I have a bridge to sell you. All joking aside, the Brewers just authored one of the most comprehensive offensive performances in a Fall Classic in recent memory, all without the ball leaving the yard. They jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the third, but it was their eight-run fifth that represented likely the final nail in the Rays’ World Series coffin. Milwaukee annihilated the Rays at Tropicana Field,
10-1, to put themselves one win away from their first ever title and on the cusp of becoming the first team to sweep a Fall Classic since the Giants steamrolled the Tigers in 2012.
World Series Game 3
Milwaukee Brewers 10, Tampa Bay Rays 1
(Milwaukee leads, 3-0)
There has been something of a false narrative surrounding the Rays’ play in the business end of these playoffs. Many are quick to praise Tampa Bay’s sound fundamentals when that hasn’t exactly been the case against the Guardians nor indeed in the World Series against the Brewers. Case in point in the bottom of the first, Chandler Simpson reached on a fielder’s choice but then was caught stealing when he over-slid the bag at second to end the inning — already the fifth out on the base paths made by the Rays this series in just two games plus one inning.
They have also suffered a handful of game-altering defensive misplays or simply not converted certain difficult outs you’d still expect them make, and there was another impactful miscue in the third today. First, however, was one of the best defensive plays by either team this series. Simpson immediately atoned for getting thrown out by making an astonishing catch in the second. Garrett Mitchell drew a leadoff walk and Sal Frelick lifted a deep fly ball down the left field line for what looked like a certain RBI double, but Simpson covered a ton of ground before securing the catch and crashing full speed into the wall just to the right of the foul pole.
But then in the third, Chourio lined a first pitch curveball for a one-out single to give him a multi-hit effort in all three World Series games so far. Jake Bauers followed with a five pitch walk to put a pair on for Christian Yelich, the Brewers captain muscling a humpback liner the other way to left for an RBI single to open the scoring. William Contreras then lined a first-pitch heater the other way, and a momentary lapse in concentration from right fielder Victor Mesa Jr. saw the ball clang off his glove as he went to gather, allowing Chourio to score from second (though Contreras did get tagged out in no man’s land between first and second.)
Despite retiring the side in order in the fourth, by the fifth it became clear that Peralta’s command was gone, 35 of his eventual 87 pitches on the outing getting called balls. This came to a head in that fifth inning, where the Brewers strung together one of the most impressive rallies in recent World Series memory. He issued a one-out single to Chourio and then loaded the bases with two outs thanks to a walk of Yelich and an infield single by Contreras. That spelled the end of his start, Kevin Cash calling on Cam Booser as the first arm out of the Rays bullpen.
Booser’s is one of the most inspiring comeback stories in MLB today, retiring in his 20s before returning to pitch almost a decade in the minor believing his shot in the Show would come. This made it all the more inspiring that the 34-year-old southpaw entered this game having not allowed a run in seven postseason appearances as the Rays’ main setup man, but it all went sideways in a manner emblematic of the Rays punching above their weight all year long only to come crashing back to Earth this series.
Brice Turang came up with the bases loaded and clubbed a sharp grounder off Taylor Walls’ glove at short — again, a tough play but one you would expect the Rays infielder to make — allowing Chourio and Yelich to score. Garrett Mitchell and Cooper Pratt then both ambushed first-pitch fastballs from Booser, Mitchell’s going for an RBI single and Pratt’s going for a two-run double. Frelick followed with a double of his own to plate Pratt and chase Booser from the game without the reliever having recorded an out. Cole Sulser was the next man out of Tampa’s ‘pen and the hit parade continued. David Hamilton lined a single to center to score Frelick and Chourio doubled his fourth hit in as many ABs to bring the speedster Hamilton home all the way from first. By the time the dust had settled, the Brewers had sent 12 men to the plate and hung an eight-spot on the board (the most two-out runs in an inning in World Series history), all ten of their runs scoring without the aid of the long ball from the team that had hit the most home runs in this postseason.
Much was made of the Rays unlocking Peralta after acquiring him from the Mets at the deadline, particularly the historic 2.5 mph jump in fastball velocity in the playoffs, but all that velocity doesn’t count for much if you can’t throw the ball over the plate. He ended his outing having given up five runs on seven hits and three walks before Booser allowed a hit to all four batters he faced to put four runs on his card.
While all this was going on, the story could not have been more different for the Brewers starter. Robert Gasser amazed with his five scoreless innings against the Dodgers in Game 3 of the NLCS to earn the opportunity to make a start in the World Series. The 27-year-old rookie reprised that gem with an even more spectacular performance tonight.
Following a leadoff single by Yandy Díaz in the first, Gasser set down the next 15 batters he faced in order. Unlike the Brewers, the Rays showed zero intention of working deep counts, and Gasser was able to leverage this to his advantage. Many of his first pitches were off-speed or breaking offering just outside of the zone, close enough to tempt the Rays to chase resulting in a lot of harmless contact early in counts. His fastball may only operate in the low-90s, but with more precise command and sequencing than Peralta Gasser kept the Rays lineup completely off balance.
His streak of 15 in a row retired ended with a walk by Mesa to lead off the sixth, but Gasser erased that base runner three pitches later by getting Nick Fortes to ground into a double play. He threw just five pitches in the second, eleven in the third, nine in the fourth, and 13 in the sixth to leave him with plenty of gas left in the tank, but with a ten-run lead there was little incentive to push things further, instead presenting Milwaukee an opportunity to get some game time for relievers who hadn’t pitched much this postseason including the longest-tenured Brewer, Brandon Woodruff. Gasser ended his outing having pitched six scoreless, allowing a hit and a walk while striking out three on 75 pitches.
Mesa would be the Rays’ last base runner until the ninth, Antonio Senzatela pitching a perfect seventh and eighth before Woodruff wrapped up the final frame — a special moment for a veteran pitcher who has missed significant portions of the last four seasons with major arm injuries. He allowed a run on a one-out single from Cedric Mullins and an RBI double from Díaz to put a bow on the Brewers’ comprehensive victory, 10-1.
Milwaukee can complete the sweep tomorrow night at The Trop, which would cap off one of the most one-sided playoff runs in history, the Brewers 10-1 overall this postseason after tonight’s rout in Game 3. First pitch of Game 4 is scheduled for 8:00 pm ET, though neither team has announced a starter at the time of writing.
Box Score
