The Tampa Bay Rays dropped a 10-1 decision to the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday night in Game 3 of the World Series, falling into a 3-0 series hole.
The loss at Tropicana Field means the Rays must win the next four games to capture the franchise’s first championship. Milwaukee can clinch its first title as early as Tuesday.
A sellout crowd of 40,388 watched the Brewers control the game from the middle innings onward.
Rookie left-hander Robert Gasser threw six shutout innings for Milwaukee. He allowed one hit and one walk while striking out three.
Freddy Peralta started for Tampa Bay and lasted 4.2 innings. The right-hander, who had been the ALCS MVP, gave up seven hits and five earned runs, walking three and striking out four.
The decisive stretch came in the fifth. With two outs, the Brewers put together seven consecutive hits and scored eight runs. All eight runs came with two outs in the inning.
No home runs were hit in the game. Milwaukee finished with 16 hits overall.
Tampa Bay managed little offensively until the ninth. Yandy Diaz doubled to drive in Cedric Mullins for the Rays’ only run.
After the game, manager Kevin Cash addressed the lopsided result.
“It’s definitely deflating. How could it not be?” Cash said.
Asked about the path forward, Cash kept the focus narrow.
“The only thing we can do is win tomorrow,” he said.
No team has ever recovered from a 3-0 deficit in the World Series. Of the 25 previous clubs that led 3-0 in the Fall Classic, 21 completed a sweep and the rest won in five games.
The only successful 3-0 comeback in any best-of-seven postseason series remains the 2004 Boston Red Sox in the ALCS against the Yankees.
DraftKings listed the Brewers at -5000 to win the series after Game 3, with the Rays at +1500.
Game 4 is set for Tuesday night at Tropicana Field. Griffin Jax is scheduled to start for Tampa Bay. Milwaukee had not yet named its starter.
The Rays reached the World Series for the third time, after losses in 2008 and 2020. They led the American League with 97 wins in the regular season.
Milwaukee won 103 games, the most in the majors, then swept the Dodgers in the NLCS. The Brewers have outscored the Rays 18-7 across the first three World Series games while hitting just one home run.
