3 minSports
Brewers take 2-1 World Series lead over Rays with Game 3 on deck
Milwaukee's dominant bullpen and timely hitting have put the Milwaukee Brewers in position to take a commanding lead over the Tampa Bay Rays in the World Series, with Robert Gasser starting Game 3 for Milwaukee against a Rays team that must win to stay alive.
The Milwaukee Brewers enter Game 3 of the World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays with a clear edge, powered by a bullpen that has been nearly untouchable and an offense that keeps producing key hits. The Rays must win Thursday night's game to avoid falling into a 3-0 hole, a deficit that would leave them with almost no path back in the best-of-seven series.
Milwaukee's recent pattern has been consistent: whenever the Brewers give up runs, they answer quickly. That resilience was on display in Game 2, when Tampa Bay took advantage of mistakes by the Brewers in the first inning. Milwaukee responded by scoring two runs in the bottom of the first and then added a run at a time over the rest of the game, eventually winning 5-4.
Tampa Bay's bullpen was serviceable in that loss, but starter Drew Rasmussen did not give the Rays enough length or effectiveness to secure the result. The Rays now turn to Freddy Peralta, a former Brewers starter who was traded to the Rays after a difficult season in Milwaukee. Peralta has been effective in the postseason, pitching 16.2 innings and allowing just two earned runs.
Peralta's previous meeting with Milwaukee this season did not go well. Pitching for the Mets in Milwaukee, he lasted 5.1 innings, allowed seven earned runs on eight hits, and struck out six. Against a Brewers lineup that has been difficult to contain, the Rays will need a sharper outing from him to keep the series from tilting further toward Milwaukee.
On the mound for Milwaukee is Robert Gasser, who went 5-5 during the regular season with a 3.87 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. In the postseason he has allowed one earned run on six hits and two walks over nine innings. Gasser has faced only Liam Hicks of the Rays so far, holding him to no hits in two at-bats.
The Brewers are seeking their first World Series championship in franchise history. Their path to this point has included a Game 1 comeback in which they rallied past a chaotic late-game replay and premature celebrations to win their first World Series game in 44 years. With Gasser on the mound and the bullpen behind him, Milwaukee has a chance to take control of the series, while Tampa Bay faces a must-win night to keep its title hopes alive.
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