Milwaukee Brewers beat Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 in Game 5 to claim first World Series title after 57 years
The Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 in Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday night to win the franchise’s first World Series championship, completing a four-games-to-one series victory and ending a 57-year wait. “I know the city’s waited a long, long time for this and we’re so happy to bring it home to them,” said Christian Yelich, the Brewers’ longest-tenured hitter. “Can’t wait to get back there and celebrate.”
Cooper Pratt drove in two runs and Jacob Misiorowski delivered five and two-thirds scoreless innings as Milwaukee put the finishing touches on a season that began with championship ambitions and ended with the first title in the franchise’s 57-year history. The Brewers had been three outs from completing a sweep in Game 4 before surrendering a 12th-inning lead, but recovered to close the series in Game 5.
William Contreras was named Most Valuable Player of the series after batting .381 with four RBIs across the five games, including a run-scoring double in the clincher. The 28-year-old became the first catcher to win the award since Salvador Perez for Kansas City in 2015, threw out four would-be base stealers — two in the opener — and used the automated ball-strike challenge system to overturn calls behind the plate; the honor capped a year in which he also won the World Baseball Classic with Venezuela.
Misiorowski scattered two hits and one walk while striking out two before departing with a right calf cramp after five and two-thirds scoreless innings. His most dangerous moment came in the fourth, when Liam Hicks was hit by a pitch and Chandler Simpson singled, with Sal Frelick’s fielding error leaving runners at second and third with two outs; Misiorowski induced a groundout from Ben Williamson to strand both runners and then retired the side in order in the fifth. “I don’t even have words,” Misiorowski said. “I know they’re going crazy in Milwaukee.” He added: “Damn it, I’m getting emotional.”
Brice Turang doubled in the second inning and, after Frelick was hit by a pitch, scored on Pratt’s single to center; Pratt was thrown out trying to reach second but the Brewers held the lead. Pratt, who made his major league debut in June and collected four hits in Tuesday’s defeat, supplied another key contribution overall and described the moment as overwhelming. “This is one of the greatest moments of my life. Oh my gosh. It doesn’t even feel real,” Pratt said. “This is surreal. It only took four months!”
Milwaukee extended its advantage in the third when Pratt singled off Kevin Kelly, Garrett Mitchell followed with a single and David Hamilton’s ground-ball single to right drove Pratt home for a 2-0 lead. In the sixth, Christian Yelich was hit by a Garrett Cleavinger pitch and scored on William Contreras’s double to left; Turang singled and stole second after Tyler Wells entered, and following a Frelick strikeout Pratt lifted a sacrifice fly into foul territory in right to make it 4-0. Tampa Bay threatened with two outs in the ninth when Hicks doubled and, after Jonny DeLuca struck out, Chandler Simpson lined an RBI double to right off Trevor Megill to cut the lead to 4-1, but Trevor Megill secured the final out when Richie Palacios grounded to second baseman Brice Turang, who threw to Jake Bauers to seal Milwaukee’s long-sought maiden title.
The Brewers posted a major league-best 103-59 record before winning the National League pennant for the first time, and the championship was the crowning achievement of manager Pat Murphy’s third season; the 67-year-old, previously Craig Counsell’s bench coach, had already won consecutive National League manager of the year awards. Tampa Bay, which won an American League-best 98 games, suffered its third World Series defeat following losses in 2008 and 2020. In the US, all World Series games will air on Fox and Fox Deportes, with streaming available through Fox One; in the UK the series will be carried by TNT Sports, and in Australia fans could watch on ESPN with streaming through Disney+ and Kayo Sports. Amid the celebrations, Yelich dedicated the win to the late broadcaster Bob Uecker. “He’s smiling, man. He’s smiling. I really wish he could have been here to see this,” he said. “This one’s still for Bob and this is still for you.”
The Brewers’ triumph marked the city of Milwaukee’s first World Series championship since 1957, when Lew Burdette’s three complete-game victories powered the Braves past the New York Yankees in a seven-game classic; the Braves relocated to Atlanta nine years later. This year’s Fall Classic guaranteed a first-time champion, only the second such World Series in 107 years and the first World Series since Philadelphia faced Kansas City in 1980, and Milwaukee claimed that distinction, leaving the Rays, Colorado Rockies, San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners as the four active major league franchises still seeking their first title.