Bradford Doolittle Oct 26, 2026, 11:19 PM ET

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MLB writer and analyst for ESPN.com

Former NBA writer and analyst for ESPN.com

Been with ESPN since 2013

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- For most teams, the phrase "pass the baton" is a cliche. For the Milwaukee Brewers , it's a way of life.

The relentless Brewers scored a World Series record eight two-out runs during a fifth-inning rally in Game 3 to bury the Tampa Bay Rays in a 10-1 win on Monday night. With the rout, the Brewers seized a 3-0 lead in the Fall Classic and moved one victory away from the first championship in franchise history.

After the game though, everyone on the Brewers was taking great pains to keep the cart behind the horse. Three wins is not four.

"The guys play hard," Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy said. "They don't give in. They make every pitch count, and that's what it takes to win.

"That's the same thing that Tampa did all year. That team is very, very capable. This is a best-of-seven series.…