Brewers End 57-Year Wait, Beat Rays 4-1 in World Series Game 5

The Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 in Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday night at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, ending the franchise's 57-season wait for its first MLB championship, according to NBC News.

Closer Trevor Megill recorded the final out on a ground ball, triggering a celebration on the field as Milwaukee closed out the series. "This is one of the greatest moments of my life," Brewers shortstop Cooper Pratt said on Fox after the game, per NBC News. "It doesn't even feel real. This is surreal."

How did the Brewers win Game 5?

Milwaukee scored its four runs through two singles, a sacrifice fly and a double, NBC News reported, rather than relying on power. Starting pitcher Jacob Misiorowski threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings in the clinching win. "I don't even have words," Misiorowski told Fox afterward.

Why did the title end a 57-season wait?

The Brewers franchise moved from Seattle to Milwaukee in 1970 and did not reach the World Series until 1982, when it lost in seven games, according to NBC News. The team then waited 44 years before returning to the championship round this fall.

How dominant was Milwaukee's postseason run?

Milwaukee finished the playoffs 12-2, a .857 winning percentage that NBC News reported was just behind the marks set by the 1999 New York Yankees and 2005 Chicago White Sox, each of whom went 11-1 en route to titles. The Brewers trailed in nine of their 12 postseason games but won seven of those, per the outlet. Milwaukee hit seven home runs while sweeping the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series, then took a 3-0 lead over Tampa Bay in the World Series while hitting only one homer, NBC News reported.

What was Milwaukee's payroll compared with other teams?

Milwaukee entered the postseason with the 19th-highest payroll among MLB's 30 teams and is described by NBC News as the league's smallest market, factors that make the title notable relative to higher-spending clubs elsewhere in the sport.

Data box

• Postseason record: 12-2 (.857 winning percentage)
• Years since franchise's only prior World Series appearance (1982): 44
• Seasons since the franchise's 1970 debut as the Brewers without a title: 57
• Payroll rank among 30 MLB teams: 19th

What to watch

• Whether Milwaukee can retain the core of a roster built on a payroll that ranked 19th of 30 teams, a budget constraint that will resurface in the offseason.
• How Jacob Misiorowski, who threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings in the clincher, is used in Milwaukee's rotation going forward.
• Tampa Bay's response after falling in five games, including any front-office or roster moves following the loss.
• Whether Milwaukee's run — a .857 postseason winning percentage — prompts comparisons to the 1999 Yankees and 2005 White Sox teams that posted similar marks.

For the full account of Wednesday's clinching game, see NBC News' report.