The Milwaukee Brewers continued their relentless postseason dominance Monday night, routing the Tampa Bay Rays 10-1 in Game 3 of the World Series at Tropicana Field to seize a commanding 3-0 series lead and move within one victory of the franchise’s first championship.
Rookie left-hander Robert Gasser set the tone with six scoreless innings of one-hit ball, facing the minimum 18 batters while allowing just one walk and striking out three. The performance, which required only 75 pitches, marked the first time a starter has faced the minimum through six innings in a World Series game since Curt Schilling in 2001 and the first by a left-hander since Sandy Koufax in 1965.
Milwaukee’s offense, however, provided the night’s defining moment. After taking a 2-0 lead in the third on RBI singles by Christian Yelich and William Contreras, the Brewers unloaded for eight runs in the fifth—all with two outs—an unprecedented outburst in Fall Classic history. The rally began after a successful challenge overturned an out call at second base on Yelich, loading the bases. Seven consecutive Brewers then reached base safely, the first such streak in any postseason game.
Brice Turang delivered a two-run single, Garrett Mitchell followed with an RBI single, Cooper Pratt doubled in two more, and Sal Frelick added an RBI double. After a pitching change, David Hamilton singled in another run before Jackson Chourio capped the inning with an RBI double to make it 10-0. The Brewers finished with 16 hits and scored without the benefit of a home run.
Chourio, the 22-year-old leadoff hitter, continued his breakout October with a 4-for-5 night that included two runs scored and a stolen base. He became the youngest player to record four hits in a World Series game since Joe Garagiola in 1946 and is now 8-for-14 (.571) in the series. Catcher William Contreras added three hits of his own.
The Rays managed just three hits overall and scored their only run in the ninth. Former Brewers pitcher Freddy Peralta, starting for Tampa Bay, was charged with five runs in 4 2/3 innings. No team in World Series history has recovered from a 3-0 deficit, leaving the Rays facing long odds in Game 4 on Tuesday night at the Trop.
The Brewers, who swept the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS and have won eight straight postseason games, are now positioned to claim the title as early as Tuesday. A victory would also make them the first team since the 1976 Cincinnati Reds to sweep both the LCS and World Series.
