For three games, the Milwaukee Brewers looked on the verge of a sweep. Then World Series Game 4 turned into one of the most dramatic nights of the postseason. The Tampa Bay Rays beat the Brewers 4-3 in 12 innings on October 27 at Tropicana Field, winning on a walk-off to avoid elimination and force a Game 5.
How the game unfolded
The Brewers, who had the better regular-season record at 103-59, came into the night leading the series three games to none. The Rays, who finished 98-64, needed a win to stay alive. With the season on the line, both bullpens were used heavily, and neither side could pull away.
The game stayed tight into extra innings. In the top of the 12th, according to MLB.com and other game coverage, Cooper Pratt hit a solo home run to give Milwaukee a 3-2 lead. At that point, the Brewers were three outs from a championship.
Tampa Bay answered in the bottom half. The Rays scored two runs to take the game, and the winning run came on a pinch-hit single from Ben Williamson. Ian Seymour was credited with the win in relief, and Shane Drohan took the loss for Milwaukee.
A rare kind of comeback
MLB.com noted that it was the 17th walk-off win in World Series history by a team facing elimination. That puts the Rays in a small group of teams that have survived with a final-at-bat victory in that situation. For a club that had trailed 3-0 in the series, it was a moment of real relief for fans in Tampa Bay.
The result does not mean the series has turned around. Teams that fall behind three games to none have almost always lost the series, and the Brewers still held the lead in the best-of-seven format after Game 4. But the win forced at least one more game and gave Tampa Bay something to build on.
What came next
The schedule showed Game 5 on Wednesday, October 28, at Tropicana Field. If the Rays had also won that game, the series would shift back to Milwaukee for Game 6 on Friday, October 30, with a possible Game 7 on Saturday, October 31. This article covers only Game 4, so check MLB.com or ESPN for the latest results from the later games.
Whatever happens in the rest of the series, Game 4 has already earned a place in World Series history. It showed why baseball’s postseason can swing on a single swing of the bat, and why no lead feels completely safe, even with a championship three outs away.
The takeaway
The Rays’ 12th-inning win was a reminder that World Series Game 4 stories are rarely about the scoreboard alone. They are about pressure, patience and a bench player stepping up at the right moment. For Tampa Bay, the walk-off kept their season alive. For Milwaukee, it was a painful near miss, with the chance to finish the job still ahead.
Details are based on MLB.com, ESPN and other game coverage. The photo is a file image and is not from the game.
