Brewers fall short after Cooper Pratt's 12th-inning home run in Game 4

Cooper Pratt’s 12th-inning home run in the bottom of the 12th gave the Milwaukee Brewers a 4-3 lead over the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 4 of the 2026 World Series at Tropicana Field, but the lead was erased as the Rays rallied for the win. Pratt, a 22-year-old rookie who signed an eight-year contract earlier in the season, struck a 396-foot ball on a 2-2 count, marking the first time a rookie had four hits and a late-inning homer in a potential World Series clincher.

After the home run, a misplay by infielder Joey Ortiz allowed the tying run to reach base, and manager Pat Murphy brought in reliever Shane Drohan. Drohan faced Jonny DeLuca, who drove in the winning run with a bouncer to center field. The Rays completed a 4-3 comeback, forcing a Game 5.

"I just hit the thing and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s gone,’" Pratt said after the game. "I was just trying not to strike out. Yeah, that was probably one of the coolest swings of my life. But it’s over."

Murphy explained his pitching choices, noting that veteran right-hander Aaron Ashby was showing reduced velocity and that he opted for the left-handed rookie Drohan in the final inning. Drohan later said, "Definitely hard. You know, I’m human. I knew what I was walking into. I just didn’t get the job done."

First baseman Jake Bauers highlighted the Rays’ pitcher Jacob Misiorowski, saying the Brewers would not be upset about facing him in the upcoming game. Christian Yelich, the Brewers’ captain, reflected on the series, stating, "Sometimes the game tests you; sometimes the game makes you want to dig deep. And it’s all part of the journey, all part of the experience, and that’s part of our story."