Rays beat Brewers 4-3 in 12 innings to avoid World Series sweep; Milwaukee lead 3-1
Ben Williamson's pinch-hit single capped a two-run rally in the bottom of the 12th as Tampa Bay came from behind to win Game 4 and force a Game 5 on Wednesday night.
At a glance
- The Tampa Bay Rays beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 in 12 innings in Game 4 of the World Series at Tropicana Field on Tuesday night, October 27, 2026.
- Cooper Pratt's solo home run put Milwaukee 3-2 ahead in the top of the 12th, three outs from the franchise's first title.
- Tampa Bay scored twice in the bottom half: Jonny DeLuca's single tied it and pinch-hitter Ben Williamson's single drove in Nick Fortes to win it.
- Milwaukee still lead the series 3-1; Game 5 is on Wednesday, October 28, at 8pm ET (5am Thursday in Pakistan) in St. Petersburg.
The Tampa Bay Rays stayed alive in the 2026 World Series on Tuesday night, October 27, beating the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 in 12 innings at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. Milwaukee were three outs from the first championship in their history after Cooper Pratt's home run in the top of the 12th, but the Rays scored twice in the bottom of the inning, and pinch-hitter Ben Williamson's single brought home the winning run. The Brewers still lead the best-of-seven series 3-1.
How the game was won
The game was tight from the start. Chandler Simpson's double gave Tampa Bay a 1-0 lead in the second inning. In the fourth, Pratt's double scored Sal Frelick to tie it, before a throwing error by Milwaukee third baseman David Hamilton let Junior Caminero score and put the Rays back in front. Hamilton made up for it with a solo home run to right-centre in the fifth, and the score stayed 2-2 through regulation and three extra innings as both bullpens took over. Rays starter Griffin Jax left in the fifth and Brewers starter Dustin May in the fourth.
In the top of the 12th, the 22-year-old rookie Pratt hit a 396-foot solo shot to left-centre off Ian Seymour, his fourth hit of the night. The bottom half unravelled quickly for Milwaukee. Caminero reached on a throwing error by third baseman Joey Ortiz, Liam Hicks singled, and Jonny DeLuca singled to centre to tie the game 3-3. After Simpson's single loaded the bases, Williamson, sent up as a pinch-hitter, lined a single to right to score pinch-runner Nick Fortes. The attendance was 40,514.
| Line score | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6–11 | 12 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brewers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 2 |
| Rays | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 1 |
The series so far
| Game | Date | Result | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | Oct 23 | Brewers 3, Rays 2 | Milwaukee |
| Game 2 | Oct 24 | Brewers 5, Rays 4 | Milwaukee |
| Game 3 | Oct 26 | Brewers 10, Rays 1 | St. Petersburg |
| Game 4 | Oct 27 | Rays 4, Brewers 3 (12 inn.) | St. Petersburg |
| Game 5 | Oct 28 | 8pm ET | St. Petersburg |
| Game 6* | — | if needed | Milwaukee |
| Game 7* | — | if needed | Milwaukee |
Background
Milwaukee reached the World Series for the first time since 1982 after sweeping the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series. They had the best regular-season record in baseball at 103-59. Tampa Bay, 98-64 in the regular season, beat the Cleveland Guardians to win the American League pennant and are also chasing their first title, having lost the World Series in 2008 and 2020.
No team in World Series history has come back from 3-0 down to win, and only one team in any best-of-seven Major League Baseball series — the 2004 Boston Red Sox in the AL Championship Series — has done it.
Why it matters
The win spares the Rays the humiliation of a sweep and keeps Milwaukee's long-awaited celebration on hold for at least another day. Errors were costly for the Brewers: both of the Rays' unearned runs came from throwing mistakes at third base. A Brewers win in Game 5 would still give the small-market club its first championship since the franchise began in 1969.
What happens next
Game 5 is at Tropicana Field on Wednesday, October 28, at 8pm Eastern time (5am Thursday in Pakistan). If Tampa Bay win again, the series returns to Milwaukee for Game 6 and, if needed, Game 7.
Questions people are asking
Who won World Series Game 4 2026?
The Tampa Bay Rays won Game 4 4-3 in 12 innings on October 27, 2026, with Ben Williamson hitting a walk-off single. The Milwaukee Brewers lead the series 3-1.
When is World Series Game 5 2026?
Game 5 between the Brewers and Rays is on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at 8pm Eastern time at Tropicana Field — 5am on Thursday, October 29, in Pakistan.
Have the Brewers ever won the World Series?
No. Milwaukee's only previous World Series was in 1982, when they lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games. They need one more win in 2026 for their first title.
