After keeping their season alive with a dramatic 4-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in 12 innings in Game 4 of the World Series on Tuesday night, the Tampa Bay Rays secured the glimmer of hope they need to believe a historic comeback is possible.
Nick Martinez and Rays Eyeing Historic Comeback
Tampa Bay pitcher Nick Martinez stated to reporters following the win that the team is “capable” of becoming the first squad in World Series history to overcome a 3-0 series deficit. Martinez, who threw two scoreless innings in relief, explained that sometimes a team just needs to see one win through and pointed out that his club can win four consecutive games.
The Brewers, known as the comeback kids throughout the postseason, experienced the reverse side of that script when Tampa scored two runs in the bottom of the 12th inning to secure the victory. That dramatic finish came immediately after Cooper Pratt gave the National League champions a 3-2 lead in the top of the frame.
Streak Ended and Historic Precedent
The defeat brought an end to Milwaukee’s eight-game playoff winning streak, which had tied the record for the longest by any team in MLB history. The most famous eight-game postseason win streak belongs to the 2004 Boston Red Sox, who remain the sole team to ever erase a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven MLB series by winning four straight against the New York Yankees before sweeping the St. Louis Cardinals.
To capture their first championship, the Rays face the daunting task of winning four consecutive games, though they successfully cleared the first hurdle. While Milwaukee endured two losing streaks of at least four games during the regular season, both of those occurred back in April.
The Brewers plan to start Jacob Misiorowski on the mound for Game 5 on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET as they search for their first World Series title in franchise history. The Rays have not yet named their starting pitcher, and Martinez—who started Game 1—would have been a candidate to pitch if he had not seen action on Tuesday.
