Brewers eye sweep for first Series title, while Rays try to stay alive

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Milwaukee Brewers will bid to make history Tuesday in more ways than one.

Sure, the Brewers will vie for the franchise’s first World Series title when they play Game 4 against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Should they complete a sweep, they’ll be the first team to accomplish the feat in both the League Championship Series and the World Series since the LCS became a best-of-seven set in 1985. The 1976 Cincinnati Reds swept the Philadelphia Phillies in a best-of-five National League Championship Series before brushing aside the New York Yankees in the World Series.

Milwaukee has won all three games of the Fall Classic, eight straight dating to the NL Division Series and 10 of 11 postseason games overall.

The Brewers put themselves in position to bring out the brooms after eking out a pair of one-run victories before erupting for eight runs with two outs in the fifth inning of a 10-1 rout Monday.

While Milwaukee is looking to end the series, Tampa Bay is simply trying to extend it.

The Rays are attempting to overcome a 0-3 deficit in a best-of-seven series for only the second time in MLB history. The 2004 Boston Red Sox accomplished the feat after rebounding from a 19-8 loss to the rival New York Yankees in Game 3 to win the final four games of the American League Championship Series.

“We’ve got nothing to lose, so we might as well play like it,” said Tampa Bay’s Cam Booser, who allowed four runs on four hits without recording an out in relief of starter Freddy Peralta in Game 3.

Right-hander Griffin Jax (0-1, 6.00 ERA) will try to help the Rays stave off elimination as the Game 4 starter.

Jax has not pitched since taking the loss in Game 3 of the ALCS against the Cleveland Guardians, allowing three runs on five hits over four innings in Tampa Bay’s 3-2 road loss Oct. 15.

He did not allow a hit over one scoreless inning in a no-decision against Milwaukee on March 30, but struggled two days later. He surrendered five runs, three earned, on three hits without recording an out in an 8-2 loss to the Brewers.

Jax, 31, is 0-3 with a 6.75 ERA in 12 career appearances, including one start, against Milwaukee.

He will need to be careful against Jackson Chourio, who capped an eight-run fifth inning Monday with an RBI double as part of a four-hit performance.

Chourio is 8-for-14 with four runs in the first three games of the World Series.

“He’s a special player, not just a special hitter. He’s just so talented. I think people forget how young he is,” Brewers hitting coach Daniel Vogelbach said. “He’s just a kid. He could be playing college baseball right now.”

William Contreras collected three hits Monday to improve to 7-for-13 with three RBIs in the World Series. He is 18-for-43 with three home runs, eight RBIs and six runs in the postseason overall.

The Brewers had not announced their Game 4 starter. Brandon Woodruff said he was scheduled to open Tuesday’s game before pitching the ninth inning in Game 3.

–Field Level Media