World Series: Pratt's 12th-Inning Homer Gives Brewers 21-0 Series Lead

Cooper Pratt hit a home run to left-center field in the bottom of the 12th inning to give the Milwaukee Brewers a 3-2 lead over the Tampa Bay Rays. The homer came off Rays pitcher Ian Seymour and marked the fourth hit of the game for Pratt. The Brewers now require only one out to secure the franchise's first World Series title.

The game had been tied at 2-2 entering the extra innings. In the top of the 12th, Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash replaced Yandy Diaz with pinch runner Jorge Mateo. Mateo stole second base to put the go-ahead run in scoring position. However, Jonathan Aranda flew out, forcing the game into another frame. The score remained 2-2 for much of the night, with both bullpens exchanging outs and hits.

The Rays face a historic hurdle to remain in the series. Twenty-five previous teams have fallen behind 3-0 in a World Series. None of those 25 teams have successfully come back to win the championship. The Rays are the first team in 2026 to face this specific deficit in the current series structure. Their season hinges on winning Game 4 to extend the contest.

Historical data favors Milwaukee in this scenario. Of the 25 teams that previously held a 3-0 lead in the World Series, 21 went on to win Game 4 and complete a sweep. The Brewers are in position to become the 22nd team to achieve that outcome tonight. The opposing team's relief corps has a 1.34 ERA this postseason, but the deficit remains the dominant factor in the statistical projection.

Aaron Ashby pitched for the Brewers in the 10th inning. He recorded a ground out, a ground out, and a strikeout to end the frame. Before that, closer Trevor Megill secured the ninth inning. Ashby had previously tied Andrew Miller's record of 16 scoreless innings in October. He set a new record with a ground out by Liam Hicks in the ninth. The Rays used relievers Tyler Wells, Cam Booser, and Bryan Baker in the late innings of the 11th and 10th.

The game featured several defensive plays that kept the score close. Brice Turang recorded a double play in the sixth inning, robbing the Rays of a potential rally. A bloop single by Pratt was the only hit allowed by Rays starter Nick Martinez in the sixth. The Rays' lineup included Junior Caminero, who scored on a baserunning error in the third inning. The error involved a wild throw by David Hamilton after a tag attempt. The score was 2-2 going into the top of the 12th, with the Brewers leading by one run after Pratt's homer.