ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WWSB) – The Tampa Bay Rays play the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday night at Tropicana Field after avoiding a sweep with a Game 4 win Tuesday night.
Fans from Sarasota and Bradenton are traveling across the Skyway Bridge to see the Rays play at Tropicana Field. Milwaukee Brewers fans are also in downtown St. Petersburg.
Ben Williamson had the walk-off RBI single that clinched the Game 4 victory in extra innings.
Rays outfielder Chandler Simpson had three hits in five at-bats in Game 4. He also stole a base and had one RBI. Simpson made a key out in the ninth inning that helped send the game to extra innings.
Simpson said the Rays will face Milwaukee ace Jacob Mizorowski on Wednesday.
“I feel like last time we had some good at-bats against them,” Simpson said. “Just maybe wasn’t able to get as much stuff going as we wanted to. But just making sure we stick to our approach.”
Rays ace Drew Rasmussen will start Game 5 on short rest. Rasmussen started Game 2 in Milwaukee.
“I’d be really excited for the opportunity,” Rasmussen said. “I’m not overly pleased with how things went in Milwaukee the other day for me and myself. And so, I guess at this point we’re just hopeful that I get another chance to start.”
Mizorowski, the NL Cy Young frontrunner, will start for Milwaukee.
The Rays trailed the series 3-0 before Game 4. Only one team has come back from an 0-3 deficit to win a best-of-seven series in the MLB postseason. The Boston Red Sox did it against the New York Yankees in the 2004 ALCS. It has never been done in the World Series.
A Rays win Wednesday would send the series back to Milwaukee for Game 6 and a potential Game 7.
Rays infielder Junior Camonero, who was a concern heading into Game 5, is ready to play.
DeWayne Staats to throw ceremonial first pitch before Rays’ World Series Game 5
Sarasota Freedom Elementary student Nolan McMillan said he was nervous Tuesday when the Rays trailed in the series.
“I was like excited and fun. We got a Game 5,” McMillan said of Wednesday morning.
McMillan said the Rays need better hitting and pitching.
“We need to not throw as many balls and we need to get some more base hits,” McMillan said.
Tom Niedenfuhrer, a 1981 World Series champion with the Dodgers, was also outside the stadium. He said he was 21 years old and a rookie that season.
“We lost the first two in a row. Then won four in a row. So you never know,” Niedenfuhrer said. “If we can get by tonight, I like our chances.”
Niedenfuhrer said Tuesday looked “not great.” He said the Rays need to get Mizorowski out quickly because the Brewers’ bullpen threw a lot of innings Tuesday night.
“If we can get him out by the fifth inning, and if Rasmussen can control the strike zone a little better, I think we’ve got a chance,” Niedenfuhrer said.
Both Brewers and Rays fans were outside the stadium as fans arrived.
Ivy Morton reported from a downtown St. Petersburg viewing area where people have gathered for the past couple of weeks to watch ALCS games. The site has a stage with a large screen, tables, bleachers and a garden walkway with a second large screen.
Morton said the excitement at the site has not fluctuated.
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