World Series: Brewers rout Rays 10-1 to take 3-0 lead

The Milwaukee Brewers erased a defensive gap and an early deficit on Monday night to defeat the Tampa Bay Rays 10-1. The victory gives Milwaukee a 3-0 lead in the World Series after three games. One more win will end the franchise's 56-year title drought.

The decisive moment arrived in the fifth inning. The Brewers scored eight runs with two outs, setting a new World Series record. They strung together seven consecutive hits at one point. No home runs were hit in the inning. Brice Turang started the rally with a sharp grounder that bounced off the glove of Rays shortstop Taylor Walls.

The eight runs included seven two-out hits, a new postseason record. The Brewers have outscored the Rays 18-7 across the first three games. They have hit only one home run in the entire series. Manager Pat Murphy described the team as a group that makes every pitch count. He noted that Tampa Bay remains capable despite the current deficit.

Jackson Chourio led the Brewers with four hits. William Contreras added three hits, bringing his postseason total to 18. That number is the most in Milwaukee playoff history. The offense relied on contact hitting rather than power. This style mirrors the team's 103-win regular season and 10-1 playoff start.

Rookie left-hander Robert Gasser pitched six shutout innings. He allowed just one hit and faced the minimum number of batters. Gasser lowered his postseason earned average to 0.60. He is the first left-handed pitcher to face the minimum over at least six innings in a World Series game since Sandy Koufax in 1965.

Brandon Woodruff closed the game in the ninth inning. The 33-year-old veteran made his first appearance since a shoulder injury suffered on July 4. He completed the final three outs to seal the win. Woodruff called it a fitting debut for his return to the big stage.

The Rays played their first home World Series game since 2008. Junior Caminero said the Brewers are simply playing better. A large contingent of Brewers fans attended the game at Tropicana Field. Their noise was constant from batting practice through the final out.

The Brewers will host Game 4 on Tuesday. They seek to become the first team since 1985 to sweep both the League Championship Series and the World Series. History shows that all 25 teams to take a 3-0 lead have won the title. Twenty-one of those series ended in a sweep.