Trop 'Til You Drop: Rays Outlast Brewers in 12 Innings, Force World Series Game 5

By GatorBait Media Staff

ST. PETERSBURG — The Tampa Bay Rays are not done yet. Facing a sweep, the Rays scored twice in the bottom of the 12th inning Tuesday night to beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 in Game 4 of the World Series at Tropicana Field, pushing the series to a fifth game.

Milwaukee still leads the best-of-seven series 3-1 and can clinch the title Wednesday night. Game 5 is at 8 p.m. ET at the Trop on Fox.

The Brewers had gone ahead 3-2 in the top of the 12th on a home run off Rays reliever Ian Seymour. Tampa Bay answered in the bottom half against Antonio Senzatela and Shane Drohan. Drohan faced four batters, allowed four hits and did not record an out, and he was charged with the loss. Seymour got the win.

Chandler Simpson led the Rays with three hits, including a double, and an RBI. Jonny DeLuca and pinch hitter Ben Williamson also drove in runs, and Liam Hicks had two hits. For Milwaukee, shortstop Cooper Pratt went 4-for-5 with a home run, a double and two RBIs, and David Hamilton also homered.

Rays starter Griffin Jax worked four innings and allowed two runs on four hits with six strikeouts. Five Tampa Bay relievers, Kevin Kelly, Nick Martinez, Bryan Baker, Tyler Wells and Cam Booser, then combined for seven scoreless innings to keep the game tied at 2 from the fifth through the 11th. Dustin May started for Milwaukee and gave up two runs in three innings. The announced crowd was 40,514.

Where are the Gators?

Florida fans looking for one of their own on the Rays will come up empty. According to MLB's official roster data, no former Florida Gator is on Tampa Bay's 26-man World Series roster, its 40-man roster or its coaching staff.

The only University of Florida product in this World Series is in the other dugout, and he is not suiting up. Right-hander Brandon Sproat is on Milwaukee's 40-man roster but not its active World Series roster, and he did not pitch in Game 4.

The state's college ties in this series run through Tallahassee instead. Rays manager Kevin Cash and shortstop Taylor Walls are both Florida State products, as is Drohan, who took the Game 4 loss.

The Brewers need one more win. The Rays need three in a row, starting Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET at Tropicana Field on Fox.