ST. PETERSBURG, FL. — Cooper Pratt appeared poised to deliver a historic moment for the Milwaukee Brewers, launching a go-ahead home run in the 12th inning that brought his team within three outs of its first World Series championship.
Instead, the Tampa Bay Rays answered with a dramatic comeback of their own, scoring in walk-off fashion to secure a 4-3 victory in Game 4 on Tuesday night and prevent Milwaukee from completing a sweep.
Pratt’s home run capped an impressive individual performance. The 22-year-old became the first player his age to record four hits in a potential World Series-clinching game, putting himself in position to become a hero in Milwaukee.
Reflecting on the swing, Pratt called it one of the best moments of his life, but the celebration would have to wait. Tampa Bay had other plans.
The Brewers entered the night having won 10 of their first 11 postseason games and matching a record with eight consecutive victories. Their first postseason defeat in 21 days served as a reminder that winning a championship rarely comes without setbacks.
Milwaukee captain Christian Yelich acknowledged the challenge awaiting his club.
“This stuff is not supposed to be easy,” Yelich said. “It’s supposed to test you.”
The decisive sequence unfolded in the bottom of the 12th inning after Milwaukee took a 3-2 lead. A throwing error by third baseman Joey Ortiz on a ground ball from Junior Caminero put the tying run aboard and forced the Brewers to find three more outs to finish the game.
Manager Pat Murphy turned to Shane Drohan, a rookie reliever who had not pitched in 12 days, hoping he could close out the victory.
Drohan’s assignment quickly became more difficult.
Liam Hicks opened with a sharply hit grounder that found a gap on the left side. Milwaukee’s defensive positioning prevented the ball from becoming a potential double play, leaving runners at the corners with nobody out.
Jonny DeLuca followed with a single up the middle to bring home the tying run. Chandler Simpson delivered another base hit, loading the bases and putting the Brewers under enormous pressure.
Tampa Bay then sent pinch hitter Ben Williamson to the plate. Williamson hit a hard ground ball that sailed beyond first baseman Jake Bauers and into the outfield, bringing home the winning run and setting off a celebration among the Rays.
Drohan took responsibility for the outcome, acknowledging the significance of the opportunity he had been given.
“I’m human,” Drohan said. “I know what I was walking into, and I just didn’t get the job done.”
Despite the disappointing finish, Milwaukee had reasons to believe the game could have gone differently. The Brewers hit 12 of the game’s 13 hardest-hit balls, but nine of those drives, each exceeding 102 mph, resulted in outs.
The defensive mistake and Tampa Bay’s timely hitting ultimately proved more important than Milwaukee’s hard contact.
Ortiz was particularly frustrated by his throwing error, recognizing how costly it became in a game decided by the smallest of margins.
“I should make that play every f—ing time,” Ortiz said.
The defeat also ended a remarkable run for Milwaukee when holding a lead. According to ESPN Research, the Brewers had won 18 consecutive games in which they led at any point, a streak dating to Sept. 17 and tied for the longest single-season run in franchise history.
Now, instead of celebrating a championship, Milwaukee must regroup and prepare for another difficult challenge against a Tampa Bay team that refused to surrender.
Drohan remained confident in his teammates’ ability to respond, pointing to their performance throughout the season.
“Because we’ve done it all year,” Drohan said. “We’ve been the best team in baseball all year.”
Murphy also recognized that adversity is part of the pursuit of a championship. With the Rays extending the series, the Brewers will need to put the loss behind them and demonstrate the resilience that carried them through October.
“When you’re achieving something like this, it’s going to have its adversity,” Murphy said.
For Milwaukee, Pratt’s dramatic home run will remain a memorable moment, but the celebration is on hold. Tampa Bay has earned another opportunity, and the World Series remains unfinished.
