Hamilton scores as Brewers defeat Rays 4-1 for first title
The small-market club ends a 44-year championship drought with a win over Tampa Bay in Game 5.
By Sofia Molina ·
San Marcos native David Hamilton singled in the fifth inning to score Cooper Pratt, capping a 4-1 victory for the Milwaukee Brewers over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday night. The win secured the franchise's first World Series title in 58 years.
Jacob Misiorowski pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings for the win. The 24-year-old right-hander threw 86 pitches, 58 for strikes, and allowed two hits. He opened the game with 12 consecutive four-seam fastballs between 100.9 and 103 mph. Misiorowski left the game with a right calf cramp after Yandy Diaz missed a cutter in the fifth inning.
Pratt, who made his major league debut in June, collected two hits and drove in two runs. He set a Series rookie record with six straight hits before his sacrifice fly in the sixth inning. William Contreras, named the Series MVP, hit an RBI double in the sixth to extend the lead to 3-0. Hamilton's single scored Pratt, and Pratt's sac fly made it 4-0.
Manager Pat Murphy, who survived a heart attack in 2020, called the 2026 group a team that would be remembered forever. He emphasized that players prioritized winning over individual statistics. Mark Attanasio, the principal owner, told fans on the postgame stage that Milwaukee had waited 44 years for this championship.
The Brewers led the majors with 103 regular-season wins and finished the postseason with an 11-2 record. The team scored a major league-low 32.1% of its runs on home runs, relying on small-ball tactics. This was the first World Series since 1991 between teams in the bottom half of payrolls, with Milwaukee ranking 19th and Tampa Bay 25th.
The Rays fell to 0-3 in World Series history after losing in 2008 and 2020. They became the fifth team to lose in Game 5 after falling behind 3-0. A potential management lockout is set to begin on December 2, which could threaten the 2027 season.
Trevor Megill closed the game by retiring Richie Palacios on a grounder to second base. The Brewers celebrated in the stands at Tropicana Field, with thousands of fans in attendance for the final game.
Source: KSAT-TV
