Alden Gonzalez Oct 28, 2026, 02:22 AM ET

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ESPN baseball reporter. Covered the L.A. Rams for ESPN from 2016 to 2018 and the L.A. Angels for MLB.com from 2012 to 2016.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- When Cooper Pratt led off Tuesday's 12th inning, he was just trying not to strike out. Instead, he hit the home run that gave his Milwaukee Brewers the lead and put them three outs away from their first championship.

He had become the first 22-year-old to accumulate four hits in a potential World Series clincher, and he was on the precipice of becoming a savior in Wisconsin.

"That was probably one of the coolest swings of my life," Pratt said, "but it's over."

Actually, when it comes to this World Series, it's not. It's not because the Tampa Bay Rays stormed back in the bottom half, putting the first five baserunners on to win Game 4 in walk-off fashion, 4-3 , and avoid a sweep. It's not because the Brewers lost their first postseason game in 21 days.…