Brewers Defeat Rays 4-1 to Claim First World Series Title in 44 Years
Jacob Misiorowski and Cooper Pratt led Milwaukee to a victory that ended the franchise's championship drought and gave the smallest market in baseball its first trophy.
By Stella Brooks ·
The Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 on Wednesday night to win the World Series for the first time in franchise history. The victory at Tropicana Field ended a 44-year wait for a title in the city's major league presence.
Jacob Misiorowski, the team's young ace, threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings before leaving the game due to a right calf cramp. He allowed only two hits and received a standing ovation from the fans. Rookie Cooper Pratt contributed two hits and two runs batted in, extending his own record for consecutive hits by a rookie in a World Series.
William Contreras was named the Series Most Valuable Player. He hit a double that drove in a run in the sixth inning. Pratt added a sacrifice fly to make the score 4-0. The Brewers scored 32.1% of their runs on home runs during the Series, a major league low, while the Rays were second lowest at 34.4%.
The championship caps a season where the Brewers led the majors with 103 wins. They went 11-2 in the postseason, including a sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series. Manager Pat Murphy, who has a heart condition, credited the team for prioritizing collective success over individual statistics.
Tampa Bay now has a 0-3 record in World Series history. The Rays are the fifth team to lose a fifth game after trailing 3-0. Only the Brooklyn Dodgers and Detroit Tigers have lost their first three appearances without winning a single game. The Rays were trying to become the first team to force a sixth game from such a deficit.
The win is notable because the Brewers represent the smallest market in the league. They ranked 19th in payroll as of August 31. This Series featured two teams from the bottom half of the salary scale, a rarity in modern baseball. A potential management lockout is scheduled to begin December 2, which could impact the 2027 season.
Milwaukee's previous major league championship came in 1957 with the Braves, who later moved to Atlanta. The 1982 Brewers lost Game 7 of the World Series after blowing a 3-1 lead. Owner Mark Attanasio told the crowd on the field that the city finally has its world championship.
