Rays Force World Series Decider With 12th-Inning Comeback

The Tampa Bay Rays survived elimination Tuesday night at Tropicana Field after a 12th-inning rally against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Milwaukee led 3-2 in the top of the 12th when rookie Cooper Pratt hit a home run off Ian Seymour. Pratt, who debuted in June, became the first rookie to hit a World Series extra-inning home run. The Brewers had taken a 3-0 series lead after winning the previous three games. Their bullpen, led by seven outs from Aaron Ashby, had combined for seven straight scoreless innings before the late surge.

Junior Camerino grounded to third to start the bottom of the 12th. Third baseman Joey Ortiz bounced the throw, and the ball glanced off first baseman Jake Bauers' mitt. Caminero appeared to hurt his left foot but stayed in the game. Brewers manager Pat Murphy brought in 27-year-old left-hander Shane Drohan, who had not pitched since a one-inning start in the NLCS on Oct. 15.

Liam Hicks, Jonny DeLuca, Chandler Simpson, and pinch-hitter Ben Williamson hit consecutive singles in a 15-pitch span. Williamson, who had been 1 for 15 in the postseason, hit a chopper that kicked up chalk from the foul line seven feet from home plate. The ball bounded over Jake Bauers and into short right field. Nick Fortes scored on the play to give Tampa Bay a 4-3 win.

"I've got to make that play," Ortiz said. "Just no excuse about it." Drohan said he knew what he was walking into but did not do the job. Rays manager Kevin Cash said he had not yet decided on a starter for Wednesday night's Game 5. Brewers manager Pat Murphy said the team had some things go their way the day before, while Tampa Bay had some things go their way Tuesday.

Tampa Bay became the fourth team in World Series history to avoid elimination with an extra-inning comeback. The 1912 Boston Red Sox, 1986 New York Mets, and 2011 St. Louis Cardinals were the previous three teams to do so. All three went on to win their titles. The Rays also became just the fifth of 26 teams to win Game 4 after falling behind 3-0 in the World Series. The previous four teams in that situation lost Game 5.

The game lasted 4 hours and 20 minutes, ending at 12:28 a.m. Caminero was replaced by pinch-runner Cedric Mullins at third base and hobbled off the field with an ailing left foot. Cash said Caminero would definitely play Wednesday night. Milwaukee fans filled the stadium, with a crowd of 40,514 watching the contest. Jackson Chourio had a single and a double, improving to 10 for 20 in the Series.