Rays 4, Brewers 3: Williamson's 12th-inning single keeps the World Series alive

Ben Williamson's ground-ball single to right bought Tampa Bay another night. The pinch-hitter drove home pinch-runner Nick Fortes in the bottom of the 12th inning Tuesday, giving the Rays a 4-3 win over Milwaukee and preventing a World Series sweep at Tropicana Field.

The Brewers had moved within three outs of the championship when Cooper Pratt homered in the top of the 12th. Pratt finished 4-for-5 with a double, a home run and two RBIs. His second run-driving hit of the night broke a 2-2 tie that had held since the fifth inning.

Tampa Bay's answer began with Junior Caminero reaching on a fielding error. Liam Hicks singled, then Jonny DeLuca singled in the tying run. Chandler Simpson's single loaded the bases for Williamson. An error and four successive singles produced two runs before Milwaukee recorded an out in the inning.

One more game, with the same stakes

The contrast was sharp. Milwaukee took its late lead with one swing. Tampa Bay erased it by extending the inning one batter at a time, with the opening error giving the rally its first baserunner. The winning hit finished a sequence, not an isolated rescue.

Ian Seymour was the winning pitcher and Shane Drohan took the loss. The Rays finished with nine hits and one error; Milwaukee had eight hits and two errors. After a game that stayed level for six complete innings following the fifth, the bottom of the 12th changed everything that could be changed that night.

It did not change who controls the series. Milwaukee leads 3-1 and needs one more victory. Tampa Bay still must win each remaining game. Game 5 is scheduled for Wednesday in St. Petersburg, with MLB listing an 8 p.m. Eastern broadcast on FOX, FOX Deportes and FOX One. The Rays earned that next game. Anything beyond it remains to be decided.