The Milwaukee Brewers have won their first World Series, beating the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 at Tropicana Field to clinch the best-of-seven series by the same margin.
The victory ends a 57-year wait for the franchise, which was founded as an expansion team. It was Milwaukee’s second appearance in the World Series, following their defeat by the St Louis Cardinals in seven games in 1982.
The Tampa Bay Rays, themselves an expansion side established in 1998, were pursuing their first championship. Their hopes were severely damaged after they lost the opening three games of the series.
Tampa Bay avoided a clean sweep with a dramatic comeback in the 12th inning of Tuesday’s fourth game. The Brewers responded the following night, closing out the series with victory in the decisive fifth game.
Brewers supporters had been waiting for the title since the team moved to Milwaukee in 1970, a year after the franchise began as the Seattle Pilots. Thousands travelled from Wisconsin to Florida, joining the cowbell-ringing Rays crowd across the final three nights of the series.
