Tampa Bay Rally: Rays Force World Series Game 5 After 12th-Inning Comeback
A defensive error and a four-batter rally against rookie Shane Drohan allowed Tampa Bay to defeat Milwaukee 4-3 and survive elimination in the bottom of the 12th inning.
By Ivan Mori ·
Tampa Bay Rays fans watched their team turn a two-run deficit into a victory during the bottom of the 12th inning on Tuesday night at Tropicana Field. The result forced a fifth game in the World Series and stopped the Milwaukee Brewers from securing their first championship. The game ended 4-3 in favor of Tampa Bay after a 4 hour and 20 minute contest that concluded at 12:28 a.m.
Milwaukee had reached a critical juncture in the top of the 12th inning when rookie Cooper Pratt hit a home run off Ian Seymour. The blast gave the Brewers a 3-2 lead and sparked celebrations among the 40,514 fans in attendance, many of whom waved yellow towels and wore cheesehead hats. Pratt became the first rookie to hit a home run in a World Series extra inning.
In the bottom half, Junior Camerino reached on an error by Joey Ortiz and Jake Bauers. Brewers manager Pat Murphy then turned to Shane Drohan, a 27-year-old left-hander who had not pitched since a one-inning start in the National League Championship Series on Oct. 15. Drohan faced four batters in a row who hit singles, creating a rally that extended over 15 pitches.
Liam Hicks started the sequence by hitting an opposite-field grounder through the shortstop hole. Pinch-runner Cedric Mullins then scored on a grounder by Jonny DeLuca to tie the game at 3. Chandler Simpson followed with a single to center field, loading the bases for pinch-hitter Ben Williamson. Williamson hit a chopper that kicked up chalk from the foul line seven feet from home plate. The ball bounded over Bauers, allowing Nick Fortes to cross the plate with the winning run.
Rays manager Kevin Cash said he instructed Williamson to hit the ball as far as possible. Cash drew laughs from the dugout when he confirmed the strategy. Williamson, who had been 1 for 15 in the postseason, said the moment was what he had always dreamed of. He described the team's approach as simply continuing to fight through every play of the series.
Camerino left the game with a left foot injury after sliding into third base. He was replaced at third base by Mullins but told Cash he would play in Game 5. Cash agreed, stating he would make sure the All-Star slugger played. The Rays had previously worn white home jerseys on Tuesday, a day after playing in Devil Rays throwback uniforms in the prior game.
Tampa Bay became the fourth team in World Series history to avoid elimination with an extra-inning comeback. According to OptaSTATS, the previous teams to do so were the 1912 Boston Red Sox, 1986 New York Mets, and 2011 St. Louis Cardinals. The Rays also stopped Milwaukee from becoming only the second team to sweep both a League Championship Series and the World Series.
Game 5 is scheduled for Wednesday night at Tropicana Field. Milwaukee will start Jacob Misiorowski, a favorite for the National League Cy Young Award. Cash said he had not decided on his starting pitcher yet. The Rays are now 0-1 in the best-of-seven series after falling behind 3-0 earlier in the postseason.
