World Series 2026: Brewers beat Rays 4-1 in Game 5 to win first title in franchise history
Jacob Misiorowski's scoreless start and two RBIs from rookie Cooper Pratt clinched Milwaukee's first World Series, 4-1 over Tampa Bay.
The Milwaukee Brewers are champions of baseball for the first time. A 4-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 5 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, on Wednesday night (Thursday morning, Malaysia time) closed out the 2026 World Series four games to one and ended a wait that stretches back to the franchise's birth in 1969.
How Game 5 was won
Milwaukee never trailed. Rookie Cooper Pratt opened the scoring in the second inning with a run-scoring single off Rays starter Drew Rasmussen, who was pitching on short rest. David Hamilton added an RBI single in the fifth, and the Brewers pulled clear in the sixth when William Contreras doubled home Christian Yelich and Pratt followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 4-0.
Tampa Bay's best chance came in the fourth, when they put runners on second and third with two outs, but Ben Williamson – the Game 4 hero – grounded out. The Rays finally scored in the ninth through a Chandler Simpson RBI double against closer Trevor Megill, who then got Richie Palacios to ground out to second base for the final out.
Misiorowski sets the tone
Jacob Misiorowski, the right-hander who carried Milwaukee's rotation all season, delivered again on the biggest stage. He threw five and two-thirds scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and a walk while striking out two, before leaving in the sixth with a cramp in his right calf. The bullpen, including JoJo Romero, Abner Uribe and Megill, protected the lead the rest of the way.
Records for Pratt and Chourio
The Series produced a pair of new marks for Milwaukee hitters, according to the Associated Press. Pratt, just 22, set a World Series rookie record with six consecutive hits, and finished Game 5 with two hits and two runs batted in. Leadoff man Jackson Chourio collected 11 hits over the five games, a record for a Series of that length.
Milwaukee had taken a firm grip with wins of 3-2 and 5-4 at home before a 10-1 rout in Game 3 in Florida. The Rays avoided a sweep on Tuesday with a 4-3 win in 12 innings, settled by Williamson's pinch-hit walk-off single, but could not force the series back to Milwaukee.
A long road for Milwaukee
The franchise began life as the Seattle Pilots in 1969 and moved to Milwaukee a year later. Its only previous trip to the Fall Classic came in 1982, when the Brewers lost Game 7 to the St Louis Cardinals. The city's only other baseball title belonged to the Milwaukee Braves in 1957, before that club moved to Atlanta.
This year's team left little doubt. The Brewers posted the best regular-season record in the majors at 103-59 despite a payroll ranked in the bottom half of the league, then went 11-2 in the postseason, a run that included a four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series. Manager Pat Murphy, 67, who survived a heart attack in 2020 and was named NL Manager of the Year in 2024 and 2025, now has the title to go with those awards.
For Tampa Bay, the defeat means the Rays are still waiting for a first championship after three World Series appearances.
Key takeaways
- Milwaukee beat Tampa Bay 4-1 in Game 5 to win the World Series 4-1, the franchise's first title.
- Jacob Misiorowski threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings before leaving with a calf cramp.
- Rookie Cooper Pratt drove in two runs and set a Series rookie record with six straight hits.
- Jackson Chourio's 11 hits set a record for a five-game World Series.
- The Rays fall to 0-3 in World Series appearances.
FAQ
Q: When did the Brewers last reach the World Series before 2026?
In 1982, when they lost in seven games to the St Louis Cardinals. This was only the franchise's second appearance in the Fall Classic.
Q: What time did Game 5 start in Malaysia?
First pitch was scheduled for 8pm US Eastern time on Wednesday, 28 October, which was 8am on Thursday, 29 October in Malaysia.
Q: How did the Brewers reach the World Series?
After finishing the regular season with a major league-best 103-59 record, they went 11-2 through the playoffs, including a sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS.
Sources: Associated Press, Fox News, ESPN, Fox Sports, Yahoo Sports