Rays Face Brewers in World Series Game 5 After Dramatic Extra-Inning Survival

The Milwaukee Brewers will attempt to secure the first championship in franchise history on Wednesday night when they face the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 5 of the 2026 World Series at Tropicana Field. First pitch is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time in St. Petersburg, Florida, with the Brewers holding a 3-1 advantage in the best-of-seven matchup. The Rays managed to keep their season alive and avoid a four-game sweep on Tuesday, setting up another high-stakes elimination showdown on their home turf.

Tampa Bay extended the series through a dramatic 4-3 walk-off win in the 12th inning of Game 4. Milwaukee had moved within striking distance of the trophy after a home run by Cooper Pratt gave the visiting team late momentum, but a leadoff error opened the door for a decisive Rays rally in the bottom of the 12th. The thrilling finish prevented Milwaukee from celebrating on visiting soil and forced Game 5, keeping Tampa Bay in contention after dropping the opening three contests.

Milwaukee will hand the baseball to starting pitcher Jacob Misiorowski, who posted a 16-5 record with a 1.80 earned run average during the regular season. The right-hander secured a victory in Game 1 by yielding one run on four hits over five innings. Misiorowski has allowed four earned runs across 13.1 postseason innings, recording 14 strikeouts while surrendering 13 hits, and the Brewers will rely on him to deliver quality length following a taxing battle the night before.

The pitching outlook for Tampa Bay presents more questions. While some reports list the team's Game 5 starter as undecided, projections indicate the Rays are expected to counter with ace Drew Rasmussen. Rasmussen went 16-5 with a 2.67 ERA during the regular season, but using him would require pitching on three days' rest after he started Game 2. Tampa Bay called upon six relievers in Game 4 after Griffin Jax provided four innings, while the Brewers used seven pitchers out of their own bullpen during the 12-inning marathon.

Both organizations enter Wednesday with a historic opportunity to end long championship droughts. The Brewers have never won a World Series title, having fallen short in their lone prior appearance when they were defeated in seven games by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1982. Tampa Bay is similarly pursuing its first crown, having lost both of its previous World Series trips: a five-game defeat against the Philadelphia Phillies in 2008 and a six-game loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020.

Milwaukee compiled an MLB-best 103-59 record during the regular campaign and entered Game 5 with a 9-2 postseason mark, while Tampa Bay posted a 98-64 regular-season ledger and an 8-4 playoff record. Betting markets list Milwaukee as the favorite heading into Game 5, with moneyline odds ranging between -141 and -157, while the Rays stand as underdogs between +117 and +130. The over/under for total runs scored is set at 6.5 across major sportsbooks.

Wednesday's contest will be broadcast nationally on FOX and FOX Deportes, with live streaming available via FOX One. Should the Rays prevail and push the series further, Game 6 will take place on Friday, Oct. 30, at American Family Field in Milwaukee, with a potential Game 7 scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 31.