The Milwaukee Brewers are World Series champions for the first time in franchise history, beating the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 in Game 5 on Wednesday night to close out the series four games to one.
Background: see our World Series schedule and preview — Brewers-Rays World Series 2026: schedule, TV, tickets and odds.
The title ends a 57-year wait for a franchise founded in 1969 as the Seattle Pilots before moving to Milwaukee a year later. The Brewers had reached the World Series only once before, losing to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games in 1982. This time, after coming within three outs of the title in Game 4 and falling short, they finished the job on the road at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Misiorowski sets the tone
Jacob Misiorowski, the Brewers’ ace, held Tampa Bay scoreless over 5 2/3 innings, allowing just two hits and one walk while striking out two. He departed with two outs in the sixth inning with an apparent calf cramp, and the bullpen finished the job: JoJo Romero and Abner Uribe delivered hitless relief before Trevor Megill pitched the final two innings, allowing one run, to close out the Rays.
Rookie shortstop Cooper Pratt drove in two runs and finished 2-for-3. He opened the scoring with an RBI single in the second inning that brought home Brice Turang, then added a sacrifice fly in the sixth. David Hamilton’s RBI single in the fifth made it 2-0, and William Contreras doubled home Christian Yelich in the sixth before scoring on Pratt’s sacrifice fly to build a 4-0 lead.
Tampa Bay’s only run came in the ninth, when Liam Hicks doubled and Chandler Simpson doubled him home with two outs. Megill then got Richie Palacios to ground out for the final out of the season.
A wire-to-wire season
The championship caps a dominant year for Milwaukee. The Brewers finished 103-59, the best record in baseball and a franchise record, then went 11-2 in the postseason: beating the San Diego Padres in four games in the National League Division Series, sweeping the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series, and finishing the Rays in five games.
Rays starter Drew Rasmussen took the loss, allowing one run on two hits over four innings with four strikeouts. Tampa Bay has now reached the World Series three times without winning a championship.
For Milwaukee, the title is also a win for one of baseball’s smallest markets. The Brewers carried the league’s 19th-biggest payroll into the season and swept the big-spending Dodgers to reach the Fall Classic, a fitting finish for a club built on clutch hitting, sharp defence and the pitching that carried it all year.
What happens next
The Brewers return to Milwaukee for a victory parade rather than a Game 6, with celebrations expected in the coming days. Attention will soon turn to the offseason, including whether the championship core can be kept together for a title defence in 2027.
Frequently asked questions
Who won the 2026 World Series?
The Milwaukee Brewers, beating the Tampa Bay Rays four games to one. They clinched the title with a 4-1 win in Game 5 on October 28, 2026.
Who was the winning pitcher in Game 5?
Jacob Misiorowski, who threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing two hits, before leaving with a calf cramp in the sixth.
Had the Brewers ever won the World Series before?
No. It is the first title in the franchise’s 57-year history; their only previous World Series appearance was a seven-game loss to St. Louis in 1982.
Where was Game 5 played?
At Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, home of the Tampa Bay Rays.
Sources
- Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/sports/brewers-beat-rays-4-1-first-world-series-title-2026-10-29/
- CNN via KION: https://kioncentralcoast.com/sports/cnn-sports/2026/10/28/the-milwaukee-brewers-win-the-first-world-series-title-in-franchise-history-defeating-tampa-bay-in-5-games/
- TSN: https://www.tsn.ca/mlb/article/brewers-secure-first-world-series-title-in-franchise-history-with-win-over-rays-in-game-5/
- New York Post: https://nypost.com/2026/10/28/sports/brewers-handle-rays-in-game-5-to-break-57-year-world-series-title-drought/
