Ben Williamson’s Walk-Off Single Keeps Rays Alive With 4–3 Win in Game 4

Ben Williamson’s first-pitch, pinch-hit single scored Nick Fortes from third as the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4–3 in 12 innings in World Series Game 4 at Tropicana Field.

The Rays scored twice in the bottom of the 12th to avoid a sweep and cut Milwaukee’s series lead to 3–1. The game began October 27 and ended early Wednesday, October 28.

The winning rally followed Cooper Pratt’s solo home run in the top of the inning. Pratt finished 4-for-5 with a double, a homer and two RBIs, but Tampa Bay answered with a throwing error and four consecutive singles before Milwaukee recorded an out.

Four straight singles turn the 12th

Junior Caminero opened the bottom of the 12th by reaching on a throwing error by third baseman Joey Ortiz. Milwaukee then brought in left-hander Shane Drohan for Antonio Senzatela. Liam Hicks singled to left, moving Caminero to third, and Cedric Mullins entered as a pinch-runner for Caminero.

Jonny DeLuca’s ground-ball single to center, where Luis Lara had replaced Garrett Mitchell, brought home Mullins to make it 3–3. Nick Fortes replaced Hicks at second, then Chandler Simpson lined another single to center. That loaded the bases for Williamson, who pinch-hit for Victor Mesa Jr.

Williamson sent Drohan’s first pitch on the ground into right field. Fortes scored the winning run, ending a half-inning in which Tampa Bay put five consecutive batters on base. Drohan allowed four hits without recording an out and was charged with the loss.

Pratt had given Milwaukee its first lead when he led off the top of the 12th with a home run to left-center off Ian Seymour. Jackson Chourio later doubled with two outs, but Jake Bauers popped out to leave him at second. The Brewers carried a one-run advantage into the bottom half.

Pratt and Hamilton answer Tampa Bay’s early leads

Tampa Bay scored first in the second inning, when Simpson doubled to right to bring home DeLuca. Pratt tied it in the fourth with a double to left that scored Sal Frelick from first.

The Rays regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Caminero singled, moved to second on Hicks’ groundout, then scored on DeLuca’s fielder’s-choice play and David Hamilton’s throwing error. Milwaukee challenged the tag play, but the call was upheld.

Hamilton supplied Milwaukee’s next answer himself, homering to right-center off Griffin Jax to open the fifth and tie the game at 2–2. Neither team scored again until Pratt’s homer in the 12th.

Pratt accounted for half of Milwaukee’s eight hits. Chourio had two, while Frelick and Hamilton had one apiece. Simpson went 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI for Tampa Bay, and Hicks went 2-for-5. Williamson’s only plate appearance produced the winning hit.

The pitching change and the bench in the 12th

Milwaukee changed pitchers after the error put Caminero on first. Drohan, a left-hander, faced four batters in alternating left-handed and right-handed matchups. All four singled. The tying run remained Senzatela’s responsibility because Caminero had reached against him; Mullins scored that unearned run after replacing Caminero. The winning run was charged to Drohan, whose first batter, Hicks, eventually scored through pinch-runner Fortes.

MLB’s pitch record lists 13 sinkers among Drohan’s 15 pitches in the inning. Hicks, Simpson and Williamson singled on sinkers; DeLuca’s tying hit came on a cutter. Williamson hit a 96.2 mph sinker on his first pitch. Those four plate appearances account for Drohan’s entire outing.

Relief work extends the game

Jax worked four innings for Tampa Bay, allowing two runs on four hits with six strikeouts and two walks. Milwaukee starter Dustin May allowed three hits and two runs in three innings, with three strikeouts and no walks.

The Rays used Kevin Kelly, Nick Martinez, Bryan Baker, Tyler Wells and Cam Booser between Jax and Seymour. Those five relievers combined for seven scoreless innings after Hamilton’s fifth-inning homer. Seymour surrendered Pratt’s homer and Chourio’s double in the 12th, but kept the deficit at one run and was credited with the win after Tampa Bay’s rally.

Aaron Ashby gave Milwaukee 2⅓ hitless, scoreless innings with three strikeouts. Senzatela followed and escaped the 11th after a two-out walk to Yandy Díaz, getting Jonathan Aranda to fly out to right. Ortiz’s error put the first runner aboard in the 12th before the change to Drohan.

Game 5 stays in St. Petersburg

Milwaukee still leads the best-of-seven series 3–1. Game 5 is scheduled for Wednesday, October 28, at 8 p.m. EDT at Tropicana Field. The official schedule had not listed starting pitchers at the final check.