Brewers Crush Rays 10-1, Move Within One Win of World Series Crown

WHO:

MLB.com - Brewers teammate Brice Turang called Robert Gasser “Bobby Diesel” and said, “He’s unbelievable. He's nasty.”

MLB.com - Rays manager Kevin Cash said the team had a “‘chip and a chair’ mentality,” adding, “Obviously, the only thing we can do is win tomorrow.”

MLB.com - Rays Game 4 starter Griffin Jax said the team would “come together strong tomorrow” and play with “pretty strong aggression and momentum.”

MLB.com - Rays shortstop Taylor Walls said, “Nobody's expecting you to win at this point, so just play free.”

MLB.com - Brewers hitter William Contreras had a .419 batting average through 11 postseason games.

MLB.com - Brewers right fielder Sal Frelick said, “Our offense is built to kind of chip away and wear on pitchers.” Jake Bauers said watching long at-bats from the on-deck circle gives the next hitter “a little bit of a mental edge.”

MLB.com - Brewers manager Pat Murphy called the team’s approach to wearing down pitchers “dragging them” and said, “It says a lot for our guys that they've adopted that.”

MLB.com - Brewers teammates described Robert Gasser as “very chill”; Brice Turang said Gasser drives slowly.

MLB.com - Brewers owner Mark Attanasio said Christian Yelich’s extended lead made him think Yelich might score on a double, but he “didn’t think he was going to beat the ball to second base.”

MLB.com - Tampa Bay’s Yandy Díaz said Robert Gasser was “throwing pitches that we couldn’t hit” and “executing really well.”

MLB.com - Brewers reliever Brandon Woodruff said he had been told to prepare to start Game 4, but chose to pitch in Game 3 when asked, “Do you want to throw the ninth or do you want tomorrow?” He replied, “I want it right now.”

MLB.com - Athletic-training staff member Bryn Hester said Game 3 was the first time he had watched Woodruff pitch in a Major League game.

MLB.com - Rays manager Kevin Cash said, “Obviously, the only thing we can do is win tomorrow.”

MLB.com - Rays shortstop Taylor Walls said, “Nobody's expecting you to win at this point, so just play free, go out there, do what you can to survive the at-bat, win the pitch and see what happens at the end of it.”

MLB.com - Rays starter Freddy Peralta said, “We've got two more games here, and we can make it happen.”

MLB.com - Brewers manager Pat Murphy said catcher William Contreras “jockeys” Robert Gasser well and praised Gasser’s confidence and mentality.

MLB.com - Brewers reliever Brandon Woodruff said he was asked whether he wanted to pitch the ninth or wait, and replied, “I want it right now.”

MLB.com - Brewers athletic-training staff member Bryn Hester said Monday’s game was the first time he had watched Woodruff pitch in a Major League game.

MLB.com - Brewers manager Pat Murphy said catcher William Contreras “jockeys” Robert Gasser well and praised Gasser’s mentality and persistence.

MLB.com - Sal Frelick said the Brewers’ offense is built to “chip away and wear on pitchers.” Jake Bauers said long at-bats can leave the next hitter with a “mental edge.”

MLB.com - Brewers owner Mark Attanasio said, “I thought he was maybe going to score on a double. I didn’t think he was going to beat the ball to second base,” describing Christian Yelich’s baserunning.

Fox News - Fox MLB analyst Kevin Burkhardt said, “I’ve never seen anything like this in my life,” describing Brewers fans at Tropicana Field. Derek Jeter called the turnout “very, very surprising,” and Alex Rodriguez said, “It’s a Milwaukee Brewer takeover.”

Fox News - Jackson Chourio said, “I think all of these fans deserve a championship as well,” and, “we have one more to lock in for tomorrow to complete the mission.”

MLB.com - Brewers infielder Brice Turang described Robert Gasser as “very chill,” including while driving.

MLB.com - Gasser said, “I didn’t have to do too much. I didn’t have to press. I didn’t need to be more than who I am.”

MLB.com - Rays center fielder Jonny DeLuca said after the second loss, “the game’s speeding up” on the team.

MLB.com - Game 4 starter Griffin Jax said the Rays were a “really close-knit group” and planned to respond with “pretty strong aggression and momentum.” Rays manager Kevin Cash said, “the only thing we can do is win tomorrow.”

MLB.com - Brewers owner Mark Attanasio said, “It’s beginning to be real now.”

MLB.com - David Ortiz and Kevin Millar were at Tropicana Field for Game 3.

MLB.com - Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy’s team had won a Major League-best 103 regular-season games.

MLB.com - The Milwaukee Brewers, managed by Pat Murphy, defeated the Tampa Bay Rays, managed by Kevin Cash, in World Series Game 3.

MLB.com - Brewers pitcher Robert Gasser started against Rays starter Freddy Peralta, who had previously played for Milwaukee.

MLB.com - Brewers players cited in the game included Christian Yelich, William Contreras, Brice Turang, Garrett Mitchell, Cooper Pratt, Sal Frelick, David Hamilton, Jackson Chourio and Jake Bauers; Rays players included Junior Caminero, Ben Williamson, Yandy Díaz and Taylor Walls.

Yahoo Sports - Milwaukee relievers Aaron Ashby, Abner Uribe, Trevor Megill, DL Hall and JoJo Romero were among the Brewers’ bullpen arms discussed; Brandon Woodruff returned to pitch in the ninth.

WHAT:

MLB.com - The Brewers scored two runs in the second inning on RBI singles by Christian Yelich and William Contreras; Contreras’ hit followed a fielding error by Victor Mesa Jr.

MLB.com - Brewers’ first four hitters combined for nine of the team’s 16 hits; Contreras went 3-for-5.

MLB.com - Milwaukee’s Game 3 win was its ninth consecutive postseason victory, which would set a new record if it won Game 4.

MLB.com - The Brewers had won 42 of 43 best-of-seven postseason series after leading 3-0; 33 ended in sweeps. Only two teams had forced a Game 7 after falling behind 3-0.

Yahoo Sports - Tampa Bay’s first Game 3 hit was Yandy Díaz’s leadoff single in the first inning; its other two hits came in the ninth.

MLB.com - Brewers catcher William Contreras’ regular-season ABS challenge overturn rate was 57%, worth 1.9 Runs Above Average.

MLB.com - Milwaukee scored eight runs with two outs in a World Series inning, a Fall Classic record; the eight runs were the second-most in any postseason inning.

MLB.com - Tampa Bay’s defense and baserunning had produced multiple errors in the World Series, including Jonathan Aranda mishandling a ground ball, Chandler Simpson dropping a fly ball, and Rays runners being thrown out on the bases.

MLB.com - Milwaukee recorded two wins after trailing by four runs, six wins after allowing the first run, and seven wins after trailing by any margin during the postseason.

MLB.com - Brewers center fielder Sal Frelick made a catch in right field during the eighth inning.

MLB.com - Brandon Woodruff said he was expected to need season-ending surgery after a July 18 press conference, but a follow-up scan showed healing and surgeon Dr. Keith Meister approved a comeback attempt.

MLB.com - Woodruff’s 2026 season included shoulder-related absences beginning April 30 and July 4; he returned to the mound in the World Series after his first postseason appearance since the 2021 NLDS.

MLB.com - Brewers catcher William Contreras threw out Rays runners stealing three times in seven attempts during the postseason.

MLB.com - Milwaukee’s eighth consecutive postseason win tied the record held by the 2019 Nationals, 2014 Royals, 2005 White Sox and 2004 Red Sox.

MLB.com - The Brewers had 12 batters come to the plate in the fifth inning; the inning’s eight runs were one more than Tampa Bay had scored in the entire World Series through Game 3.

MLB.com - In the fifth, Brice Turang’s single brought in two runs, Garrett Mitchell’s single brought in one, Cooper Pratt’s double brought in two, and Sal Frelick’s double brought in one; David Hamilton and Jackson Chourio later added RBI hits.

Yahoo Sports - Only Robert Gasser and Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell had recorded an out in the sixth inning among starting pitchers in the postseason; no starter had pitched into the seventh.

MLB.com - William Contreras had a 1.141 postseason OPS, three home runs and eight RBIs, and caught all 11 Brewers postseason games.

MLB.com - Contreras’ 29 postseason catcher challenges exceeded the combined 28 challenges by Patrick Bailey and Liam Hicks through Game 3; his challenge success rate was 66%, worth 0.8 Runs Above Average.

MLB.com - Brewers manager Pat Murphy said, “Contreras was incredible,” and called him “the player of the game” after Game 1.

MLB.com - Brandon Woodruff said he would “try to be ready to go again tomorrow” after pitching the ninth inning; athletic-training staff member Bryn Hester said it was his first time seeing Woodruff pitch in a Major League game.

MLB.com - Evan Longoria was selected to throw the ceremonial first pitch before Game 4.

MLB.com - Gasser became the first rookie starter to throw six scoreless innings of one-hit ball in a World Series game; Pirates reliever Bruce Kison was the only other rookie to do so, in Game 4 of the 1971 World Series.

MLB.com - Gasser faced the minimum through six innings for the first time since Curt Schilling did so in Game 7 of the 2001 World Series.

MLB.com - Brewers players said Tampa Bay’s Ben Williamson fouled a ball off his own face.

MLB.com - The Brewers’ 10-1 victory was accompanied by a “Let’s go, Brewers” chant at Tropicana Field in the eighth inning.

MLB.com - Woodruff said that during the first two to three weeks of his comeback throwing program, it took 70–80 throws to get loose and feel decent; on the night of his return, he said he had little trouble getting loose.

MLB.com - Robert Gasser’s three postseason starts against the Padres, Dodgers and Rays were all on the road; he allowed one run over 15 innings.

MLB.com - Jackson Chourio’s four hits and stolen base made him the second-youngest player to achieve both in a World Series game; Ty Cobb was younger at 21 years and 299 days in 1908.

MLB.com - The Brewers scored eight runs on seven hits and a walk after the next eight batters reached base following Chourio’s two-out stolen base in the fifth inning.

MLB.com - Chourio’s ninth career multihit postseason game tied Andruw Jones for the most by a player before turning 23.

MLB.com - Brewers owner Mark Attanasio said, “It’s beginning to be real now.”

MLB.com - Brandon Woodruff said it took 70–80 throws to get loose and feel decent during the first two to three weeks of his comeback throwing program.

MLB.com - William Contreras recorded 0.8 Runs Above Average from ABS challenges in the postseason; he had a 57% regular-season overturn rate.

MLB.com - Contreras said, “Whenever I want to challenge, I call it. I’m not afraid to lose my challenge,” adding, “I trust my pitcher.”

MLB.com - Milwaukee became the first team to record seven consecutive hits in a World Series game, according to OptaSTATS.

MLB.com - Jackson Chourio’s four-hit game made him the youngest player to record four hits in a World Series game since Joe Garagiola in 1946; Chourio was 22 years and 229 days old, while Garagiola was 20 years and 240 days old.

MLB.com - Freddy Peralta threw 22 pitches in the first inning of Game 3.

MLB.com - The Brewers had not lost since Game 3 of the National League Division Series, which the article dates to Oct. 6.

MLB.com - William Contreras challenged 63% of incorrectly called pitches when he had a challenge available in the postseason, compared with 38% in the regular season.

MLB.com - During the regular season, Contreras challenged 185 pitches, 49 more than the next-highest total, Tyler Stephenson’s 136.

Yahoo Sports - Tampa Bay recorded its first hit in Game 3 on Yandy Díaz’s leadoff single in the first; its other two hits came in the ninth.

MLB.com - Evan Longoria was set to throw the ceremonial first pitch before Game 4.

MLB.com - William Contreras had a .419 batting average through 11 postseason games.

MLB.com - Brewers right fielder Sal Frelick said Christian Yelich’s baserunning helped set the standard for the team.

MLB.com - In Game 3, Chourio’s four hits were one short of the World Series single-game record, shared by Paul Molitor and Albert Pujols.

MLB.com - Woodruff returned to a Major League mound after shoulder injuries and made his first pitching appearance since July.

MLB.com - The Rays’ 10-1 loss was their third time that season allowing at least eight runs in one inning.

MLB.com - Yelich’s RBI single and William Contreras’ RBI single came in the third inning, according to the article.

MLB.com - In the fifth inning, Brice Turang’s two-run single came off shortstop Taylor Walls’ glove. Taylor Walls described the hit as “a knife in the chest.”

MLB.com - The Brewers drew 184 pitches from Rays pitchers in Game 2, the second-highest total seen by any team in a postseason game that year.

MLB.com - Milwaukee’s postseason pitching staff had a 2.02 ERA through 11 games, according to the article.

MLB.com - William Contreras caught all 11 of Milwaukee’s postseason games and caught the Rays stealing three times in seven attempts. He had a 1.141 postseason OPS, three home runs and eight RBIs.

Yahoo Sports - Milwaukee had won 10 of 11 postseason games and recorded 113 combined regular-season and postseason wins.

Yahoo Sports - The article reported that no starting pitcher from either team had pitched into the seventh inning during the postseason.

MLB.com - Robert Gasser’s three postseason starts were all on the road; he allowed one run over 15 innings against the Padres, Dodgers and Rays.

MLB.com - Freddy Peralta was removed after 4⅔ innings in Game 3.

MLB.com - The Rays had allowed eight or more runs in an inning three times that season: on Opening Day in St. Louis and in the 10th inning against the Marlins on May 16, in addition to Game 3.

MLB.com - Game 3 was the first time Brewers athletic-training staff member Bryn Hester had watched Brandon Woodruff pitch in a Major League game.

MLB.com - William Contreras challenged 29 pitches as a catcher in the postseason, more than the 28 combined challenges by Guardians catcher Patrick Bailey and Rays catcher Liam Hicks through Game 3. Contreras’ postseason challenge-overturn rate was 66%.

MLB.com - The Brewers have won eight consecutive postseason games, tying the record shared by the 2019 Nationals, 2014 Royals, 2005 White Sox and 2004 Red Sox.

MLB.com - Jackson Chourio became the second-youngest player in World Series history to record four hits and a stolen base in one game; Ty Cobb was younger, at 21 years and 299 days, in the 1908 Series.

MLB.com - Milwaukee’s fifth-inning rally took 12 batters and produced eight hits, one walk and eight runs.

MLB.com - Freddy Peralta threw 22 pitches in the first inning of Game 3.

MLB.com - William Contreras had a .419 batting average across 11 postseason games.

MLB.com - In the regular season, Milwaukee ranked first in on-base percentage, second in runs scored, last in swing percentage and first in hitting to the opposite field.

MLB.com - William Contreras had a 1.141 postseason OPS, three home runs and eight RBIs; he challenged 29 pitches as a catcher in the postseason and had a 66% success rate.

MLB.com - Milwaukee has won eight consecutive postseason games, matching the record shared by the 2019 Nationals, 2014 Royals, 2005 White Sox and 2004 Red Sox.

MLB.com - The Brewers became the first team to record seven consecutive hits in a postseason game, according to OptaSTATS.

MLB.com - Milwaukee scored double-digit runs without a home run for the 16th time in MLB history and the first time since the Royals did so against the Giants in Game 4 of the 2014 World Series.

MLB.com - Robert Gasser allowed one run over 15 innings across his three postseason starts against the Padres, Dodgers and Rays.

MLB.com - Brewers hitting coordinator Jason Lane said he found Lance Berkman’s hitting-philosophy video on Instagram and shared it with Sal Frelick.

MLB.com - Taylor Walls described Brice Turang’s two-run single as “a knife in the chest.”

MLB.com - Game 3 drew a sold-out crowd of 40,388 at Tropicana Field.

MLB.com - In best-of-seven postseason series, teams leading 3-0 have won 42 of 43 times; 33 series ended in sweeps. Only two teams have forced a Game 7 after trailing 3-0.

Yahoo Sports - Milwaukee’s bullpen leaders Trevor Megill, Aaron Ashby and Abner Uribe were rested for Game 4; the Brewers’ bullpen had a 1.34 ERA over 53⅔ postseason innings.

MLB.com - Robert Gasser became the first rookie starter to throw six scoreless innings of one-hit ball in a World Series game; the only other rookie to do so was Pirates reliever Bruce Kison in Game 4 of the 1971 World Series.

MLB.com - Gasser was the first starter to face the minimum through six innings since Curt Schilling in Game 7 of the 2001 World Series.

MLB.com - Milwaukee matched the postseason record of eight consecutive wins, shared by the 2019 Nationals, 2014 Royals, 2005 White Sox and 2004 Red Sox.

MLB.com - Milwaukee’s fifth-inning rally involved 12 batters, eight hits, one walk and eight runs. In Game 2, the Brewers had drawn 184 pitches from Tampa Bay pitchers, the second-most seen by any team in a postseason game that year.

MLB.com - Brewers hitting and strategy coordinator Jason Lane said he shared a Lance Berkman video about his hitting philosophy with Sal Frelick; Frelick described the approach as, “How can I drag this pitcher to hell with me?”

MLB.com - Christian Yelich said the Brewers’ approach involved “staying within themselves, taking what the game gives them and passing it on to the next guy.”

Yahoo Sports - Milwaukee led MLB in walks and ranked 29th in regular-season home runs; it ranked 10th in runs scored.

Yahoo Sports - Gasser was the first pitcher to face the minimum in six or more innings since Don Larsen’s 1956 perfect game.

MLB.com - Brandon Woodruff said he was initially told to prepare to start Game 4, but chose to pitch the ninth inning when asked, “I want it right now.” He returned after a shoulder injury that had been expected to end his season.

MLB.com - Brewers owner Mark Attanasio said he thought Yelich might score on a double but “didn’t think he was going to beat the ball to second base.”

MLB.com - In the fifth inning, Jackson Chourio stole second base before the Brewers’ next eight batters reached base, scoring eight runs on seven hits and a walk.

MLB.com - Cam Booser faced four batters in the fifth inning and recorded no outs; Cole Sulser then allowed two more run-scoring hits before Jake Bauers ended the inning.

Yahoo Sports - Milwaukee’s 29th-place regular-season home run ranking did not prevent it from scoring 10 runs without a homer.

Yahoo Sports - Milwaukee’s first four hitters combined for nine of its 16 hits; William Contreras went 3-for-5.

MLB.com - Milwaukee became one win away from joining the 1976 Cincinnati Reds as the only teams to sweep the League Championship Series and World Series in succession; it would be the first to do so since the LCS became a best-of-seven in 1985.

MLB.com - In the second inning, Christian Yelich and William Contreras drove in runs with singles; Contreras’ hit followed a fielding error by Victor Mesa Jr.

MLB.com - William Contreras successfully challenged four ball-strike calls in one game through the ABS Challenge System.

MLB.com - Jackson Chourio’s ninth career multihit postseason game tied Andruw Jones for the most by a player before turning 23.

MLB.com - Chourio had four hits by the end of the fifth inning, one short of the World Series single-game record.

Yahoo Sports - Milwaukee’s three Game 3 runs through the first three innings were enough to exceed Tampa Bay’s total for the game until the ninth.

Yahoo Sports - Milwaukee’s top relievers Trevor Megill, Aaron Ashby and Abner Uribe did not pitch in Game 3 and were rested for the next game.

Yahoo Sports - Milwaukee was 10-1 in the postseason and had won 113 games across the regular season and postseason.

MLB.com - Milwaukee won 10-1, took a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven World Series and moved within one win of the franchise’s first championship.

MLB.com - The Brewers scored eight runs in the fifth inning, all with two outs. After a replay challenge overturned Yelich’s out at second, Milwaukee loaded the bases and continued its rally.

MLB.com - Seven consecutive Brewers batters recorded hits, a first in a postseason game, according to OptaSTATS. The eight two-out runs were a World Series inning record and the second most in a postseason inning.

MLB.com - Milwaukee scored without a home run and recorded 16 hits to Tampa Bay’s three. Eight of nine Brewers starters had hits; every starter reached base, and eight drove in a run.

MLB.com - Gasser threw six scoreless innings, allowing one hit and one walk and striking out three on 75 pitches. Yandy Díaz had Tampa Bay’s only hit against him.

MLB.com - Chourio recorded four hits and a stolen base. At age 22 years and 229 days, he became the youngest player with a four-hit World Series game since Joe Garagiola, who was 20 years and 240 days old in 1946.

Yahoo Sports - Brandon Woodruff allowed Tampa Bay’s only run on a Díaz RBI double in the ninth.

WHERE:

MLB.com - Game 3 was played at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida; it was the first World Series game there since 2008.

WHEN:

Yahoo Sports - Game 4 was scheduled for Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET at Tropicana Field.

WHY:

MLB.com - Brewers offense and strategy coordinator Jason Lane said he shared a Lance Berkman video with Sal Frelick after seeing it on Instagram; Berkman described imagining being “down in a pit” and trying to drag opposing pitcher John Smoltz down with him.

MLB.com - Brewers hitting coordinator Jason Lane said Lance Berkman’s hitting philosophy was based on an at-bat against John Smoltz in which Berkman imagined being “down in a pit” and trying to drag the pitcher down with him.

MLB.com - Jake Bauers said long at-bats can leave the next hitter with a “mental edge” because the pitcher may be tired.

MLB.com - Jason Lane said Lance Berkman’s hitting philosophy inspired the Brewers’ approach: Berkman envisioned being “down in a pit” and trying to drag the pitcher down with him; Lane shared the video with Frelick.

MLB.com - The replay ruling that Yelich was safe kept the fifth inning alive; Milwaukee then scored eight runs.

MLB.com - Only the 2004 Boston Red Sox have overcome a 0-3 deficit in a best-of-seven postseason series, doing so in the American League Championship Series.

HOW:

MLB.com - Rays manager Kevin Cash said the team’s Game 4 plan included starter Griffin Jax, with Nick Martinez available behind him and closer Bryan Baker likely to have an outsized role.

MLB.com - Christian Yelich extended his secondary lead because Tampa Bay’s defense was playing back and ran hard on contact; Sal Frelick said the Brewers regularly practice that baserunning approach.

MLB.com - Milwaukee’s regular-season offense ranked first in on-base percentage and hitting to the opposite field, second in runs scored, and last in swing percentage, according to the article.

MLB.com - Sal Frelick said Christian Yelich extended his secondary lead because the Rays’ defense was playing back and ran hard on contact; Frelick said the Brewers regularly work on that baserunning approach.

MLB.com - Brewers hitting coordinator Jason Lane said Lance Berkman’s philosophy came from an at-bat against John Smoltz: Berkman imagined being “down in a pit” and trying to drag the pitcher down with him.

MLB.com - Christian Yelich extended his secondary lead while the Rays’ defense played back, then ran hard on contact during the fifth-inning play that kept Milwaukee’s rally going.

MLB.com - Woodruff said it took 70–80 throws to get loose and feel decent during the first two to three weeks of his comeback throwing program.

MLB.com - Contreras challenged 63% of incorrectly called pitches when he still had a challenge available in the postseason, compared with 38% in the regular season; his postseason overturn rate was 66%.

MLB.com - The Brewers’ hitting approach drew on a Lance Berkman video about his at-bat against John Smoltz; Jason Lane shared it with Sal Frelick, who framed the approach as, “How can I drag this pitcher to hell with me?”

MLB.com - Brewers hitting coordinator Jason Lane said Lance Berkman’s hitting-philosophy video inspired Sal Frelick’s approach. Frelick described it as, “How can I drag this pitcher to hell with me?”

MLB.com - Robert Gasser faced the minimum through six innings, despite allowing one hit and issuing one walk; he threw 75 pitches.

MLB.com - Sal Frelick made a catch in right field in the eighth inning.

MLB.com - Milwaukee had won two postseason games after trailing 4-0, six after allowing the first run, and seven while trailing by any margin, according to the article.

MLB.com - After the overturned call, Brice Turang and Garrett Mitchell hit run-scoring singles, Cooper Pratt and Sal Frelick hit RBI doubles, and Hamilton and Chourio added RBI hits.

Yahoo Sports - Milwaukee’s bullpen had a 1.34 ERA over 53⅔ postseason innings, according to the article.

The Brewers beat the Rays in Game 3 of the World Series, moving within one win of the championship and extending their postseason streak to nine straight victories. Milwaukee broke the game open with a record eight runs in a two-out World Series inning, while Robert Gasser held Tampa Bay to three hits and Brandon Woodruff returned to pitch the ninth. The Rays now face elimination, with manager Kevin Cash urging the team to win the next game, while Brewers hitters say their patient approach is designed to wear down opposing pitchers.