World Series Game 4: Brewers Can Sweep the Rays Tonight for the First Title in Franchise History
Milwaukee leads Tampa Bay 3-0 and has outscored the Rays 18-7. One more win at Tropicana Field tonight - first pitch 7 p.m. Central on Fox - and the Brewers are champions for the first time. Griffin Jax starts for the Rays; Dustin May is set for Milwaukee.
It has been all Brewers so far in this year's World Series, and it can all be over tonight. Milwaukee leads the Tampa Bay Rays three games to none heading into Game 4 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg - first pitch at 7 p.m. Central on Fox, Fox Deportes and Fox One - and a win finishes a four-game sweep and delivers the first World Series title in franchise history. The Brewers have never won a World Series, having lost their only prior appearance in 1982 to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games. The Rays are 0-2 in the Fall Classic, with losses to the Dodgers in 2020 and the Phillies in 2008, and tonight they play to keep their season alive.
The series scores explain the hole Tampa Bay is in: Brewers 3, Rays 2 in Game 1; Brewers 5, Rays 4 in Game 2; and a 10-1 rout in Game 3 on Monday in which Robert Gasser faced the minimum through six innings and Milwaukee scored eight runs in the fifth inning, all of them with two outs. Through three games the Brewers have outscored the Rays 18-7, and Milwaukee carries an eight-game postseason winning streak into the potential clincher. Tampa Bay's published lineup starts Yandy Díaz at designated hitter and runs through Jonathan Aranda, Junior Caminero, Liam Hicks, Jonny DeLuca, Chandler Simpson, Ryan Vilade, Richie Palacios and Taylor Walls.
The pitching plan tells the same story from both dugouts. Griffin Jax is confirmed to start for Tampa Bay in the elimination game. Milwaukee's starter was still listed as to be determined in the morning previews; by late afternoon, Covers reported the Brewers had locked in Dustin May, setting up a bullpen-heavy plan that leans on rested high-leverage arms - Aaron Ashby, Abner Uribe and Trevor Megill all sat out Monday's blowout. DraftKings priced Milwaukee at -125 to finish it tonight, with Tampa Bay at +104. If the Rays survive, Game 5 is Wednesday night at Tropicana Field, with Games 6 and 7, if necessary, Friday and Saturday in Milwaukee. Space City Daily will file the Game 4 final within 45 minutes of the last out tonight.
