Brewers defeat Rays 4-1 to claim first championship in franchise history
Jacob Misiorowski threw 5 1/3 scoreless innings as Milwaukee ends a 44-year title drought with a victory over Tampa Bay in Game 5.
By Sofia Ramirez ·
Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy stood on the field at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, and told his players they had earned a permanent place in baseball history. The Brewers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 on Wednesday night to win the World Series, the first title in the franchise’s 58-year existence. The victory capped a postseason run that included an 11-2 record and a sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series.
The win came after a grueling five-game series defined by small-ball baseball. The teams combined for only four home runs, with Milwaukee accounting for three. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Brewers scored a major-league-low 32.1% of their runs on home runs, while Tampa Bay ranked second-lowest at 34.4%. This statistical profile reinforced the narrative that small-market teams can compete for championships without relying on high-powered offense.
Jacob Misiorowski, the 24-year-old right-hander, pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings before leaving the game due to a right calf cramp. He threw 86 pitches, 58 of which were strikes, and did not record a strikeout in the first three innings. Misiorowski had set the World Series velocity record earlier in the series by throwing a 103.5 mph fastball. He finished the series with a 0.84 ERA and a 2-0 record as a starter.
Cooper Pratt, a rookie who made his major league debut in June, provided the offensive spark. He set a World Series rookie record by recording six consecutive hits before hitting a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning. Pratt also drove in a run in the second inning against Tampa Bay ace Drew Rasmussen. In the sixth inning, William Contreras, the World Series MVP, hit an RBI double to extend the lead. Contreras allowed just two hits during the game and received a standing ovation from the Brew-Crew fan section.
The rivalry between these two franchises is steeped in history. The Brewers began as the Seattle Pilots in 1969 before moving to Milwaukee in 1970. Their previous World Series appearance in 1982 ended in defeat when they blew a three-run lead in the seventh inning against the St. Louis Cardinals. This 2026 victory marks the first time the Milwaukee club has won a championship since the Braves won in 1957.
The Rays, an expansion team that began play in 1998, have now lost their first three World Series appearances. They had previously fallen behind 3-0 in the 2008 and 2020 series. Tampa Bay became only the fifth team in history to lose Game 5 after dropping the first three games. Manager Kevin Cash noted that the team is physically battered but proud of their performance throughout the season.
The timing of the championship coincides with labor tensions in Major League Baseball. A management lockout is expected to begin on December 2, potentially threatening the 2027 season. This series was the first since 1991 to feature two teams from the bottom half of the payroll rankings. The Brewers ranked 19th in payroll as of August 31, while the Rays were 25th.
Owner Mark Attanasio addressed the crowd from the postgame stage, acknowledging the long wait for the city of Milwaukee. The team’s success under Murphy, who survived a heart attack in 2020, highlights a culture of resilience. Murphy won the National League Manager of the Year award in both 2024 and 2025. The Brewers now return to Wisconsin with their first piece of championship hardware, having overcome a 4-3 extra-inning loss in Game 4 to secure the title.
