Cooper Pratt's solo homer in the top of the 12th had Milwaukee three outs from its first World Series title. Then the inning turned. Junior Caminero reached on Joey Ortiz's throwing error and limped first-to-third on Liam Hicks' single. His pinch-runner, Cedric Mullins, scored the tying run on Jonny DeLuca's single. One batter later, Ben Williamson — pinch-hitting, hitting .067 this postseason — singled to right, Nick Fortes scored, and the Rays walked it off 4–3. Season alive.
The Rays' problem all series sits right there in the numbers: they are hitting .195 as a team, and Caminero — 42 homers and 101 RBIs in the regular season — is the one bat Milwaukee cannot let beat them. If he goes tonight, Tampa Bay's lineup finally has its engine back. If the Brewers keep him in the park, the Rays are asking their role players to save the season for the second night running.
The series so far. ESPN's scoreboard has it: Game 1: Brewers 3, Rays 2 — Jackson Chourio's seventh-inning single won it, after Misiorowski opened the Series with a 103.5 mph first pitch, the fastest ever thrown in a World Series. Game 2: Brewers 5, Rays 4 — Milwaukee erased a 4–0 hole; Sal Frelick tied it, Pratt won it. Game 3: Brewers 10, Rays 1 — eight two-out runs in the fifth, on seven consecutive run-scoring hits, a first in postseason history. Game 4: Rays 4, Brewers 3, in 12.
Tonight's matchup. It's the Game 1 pairing again: Misiorowski against Rasmussen. Misiorowski is 1–0 with a 2.70 ERA this postseason, and after a 12-inning loss last night, Milwaukee needs length from him as much as dominance. Rasmussen has quietly been Tampa Bay's best arm all October — 2–0, a 2.19 ERA, 27 strikeouts in 24⅔ innings — and he gets the start the morning's reports said was still unannounced.
The Caminero watch. Tampa Bay's best hitter hurt his left foot in the 12th and came out for a pinch-runner. His review of the situation, via the Associated Press: "If my foot is broken, I'll play tomorrow." Manager Kevin Cash backed him up: "He'll play tomorrow on one leg. I'll make sure of it." The Rays need him upright — they're hitting .195 with one home run in this Series, and Caminero (42 homers, 101 RBIs, all 162 games) is the one bat Milwaukee's staff has to plan around.
The stakes. Win tonight, and the 103-win Brewers celebrate the first championship in franchise history on Tampa Bay's field. Lose, and the Series goes back to Milwaukee for Game 6 on Friday — with the Rays two wins from doing what no team has ever done: winning a World Series after trailing 3–0.
💰 ODDS (our board)
- Spread: Brewers -1.5 (+119) · Rays +1.5 (-143)
- Moneyline: Brewers -150 · Rays +124
- Total: 6.5 (Over -114 · Under -105)
First pitch is 5:00 PM PT on FOX. Follow every pitch in the Game Center: https://www.watchpreviously.com/sports/game/?lg=mlb&id=401908046 · MLB hub
Sources · 6 sources
- ESPN — game page for Brewers at Rays, World Series Game 5 (event 401908046): first pitch, venue and broadcast; ESPN's scoreboard and Game 4 play-by-play verified the series state (Milwaukee leads 3–1; Game 4 final Rays 4, Brewers 3 in 12) and ESPN's Game 5 summary lists tonight's probables, Misiorowski and Rasmussen, with their postseason lines.
- Associated Press — the AP's October 28 report on Junior Caminero's left-foot injury in the 12th inning of Game 4, carrying his "If my foot is broken, I'll play tomorrow" and Kevin Cash's "He'll play tomorrow on one leg" verbatim, plus his 42-homer, 101-RBI season line and the Rays' .195 Series average (AP copy carried by NBC Sports and Sportsnet).
- USA Today — October 28 reporting on Caminero's Game 5 status: back in the Rays' lineup for Game 5, Tampa Bay trailing the series 3–1 — the second independent confirmation of the Game 4 final (Rays 4, Brewers 3 in 12) and the series state.
- Associated Press — the AP's Game 1 report (Brewers 3, Rays 2) and its Game 2 report on Aaron Ashby's five-out save (Brewers 5, Rays 4), via NBC Sports and Sportsnet.
- FOX Sports — Game 3 by the numbers: the historic eight-run fifth inning in the Brewers' 10-1 win.
- NBC Sports — Game 3's fifth inning: eight two-out runs on seven consecutive run-scoring hits, the first time in MLB postseason history.
