Brewers 10, Rays 1: eight runs after two outs, one win from a title

Milwaukee was one out from taking a modest lead into the bottom of the fifth. Instead, it spent the rest of the half-inning putting the World Series within reach. Eight runs, all with two outs, turned Game 3 into a 10-1 Brewers victory Monday at Tropicana Field.

The Brewers lead the best-of-seven series 3-0. They can finish it Tuesday, October 27, when Game 4 begins at 8 p.m. Eastern in Tampa Bay. Three wins are not four, but Milwaukee has reduced its remaining assignment to one.

Robert Gasser made the early lead stand up long enough for the offense to overwhelm the game. He allowed one hit and one walk in six scoreless innings. Jackson Chourio went 4-for-5, and William Contreras and Brice Turang each had three hits. Milwaukee finished with 16 hits and no home runs.

The out that did not end the inning

The fifth turned on a reviewed force play. With two outs, the Brewers successfully challenged the ruling on Contreras' ground ball. The overturned call left the bases loaded and Milwaukee ahead 2-0. Freddy Peralta's night ended there after 4 2/3 innings.

Turang singled in two against Cam Booser. Garrett Mitchell singled in another. Cooper Pratt's double brought home two more, Sal Frelick doubled in a run and David Hamilton singled in another against Cole Sulser. Chourio's double completed the eight-run inning. Six consecutive hits had each added to the score.

That sequence matters more than the size of the final margin alone. Milwaukee did not need one swing to clear the bases. It kept putting the ball in play successfully after the inning might have ended, moving the lead from 2-0 to 10-0 before Tampa Bay could record its third out.

Gasser gave Tampa Bay almost nothing

Gasser threw 75 pitches, struck out three and left the Rays without a run through six. Antonio Senzatela followed with two scoreless innings. Tampa Bay finally scored against Brandon Woodruff in the ninth on Yandy Díaz's double, but the game had long since ceased to resemble the first two close contests.

Yelich and Contreras had supplied the first two runs with third-inning singles. Those hits were enough for a lead. The fifth inning made it a commanding one. Now the Brewers get a chance to turn that advantage into a championship, with the last win still to earn.