Milwaukee Brewers defeat Tampa Bay Rays to become 1st-time World Series champions

The small-ball Milwaukee Brewers playing in the smallest market in the majors are World Series champions for the first time in franchise history.

Hey, Milwaukee: raise a beer and prepare for that parade.

Young ace Jacob Misiorowski threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings of two-hit ball, rookie Cooper Pratt got two more hits and two RBIs, and the Brewers beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 in Game 5 on Wednesday night to set off a long-awaited celebration among thousands of Brewers fans in attendance at Tropicana Field.

"It's the best feeling ever. All of our fans are here. I know the city's waited a long, long time for this," Milwaukee captain Christian Yelich said. "We're so happy to bring it home to them. I can't wait to get back there and celebrate."

Members of the Tampa Bay Rays watch during the ninth inning of Game 5 of the World Series, which the team lost to the Brewers. (Kim Klement Neitzel/Imagn Images/Reuters)

Misiorowski left the game because of a right calf cramp. He got a standing ovation from the Brew-Crew fans, who took over the section behind Milwaukee's dugout for the last three games.

The 22-year-old Pratt set a Series rookie record with six straight hits before a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning. Jackson Chourio set a five-game Series record with 11 hits.

"This is one of the greatest moments of my life. Oh my gosh. It doesn't even feel real," said Pratt, who made his major league debut in June. "This is surreal. It only took four months!"

Milwaukee players Jackson Chourio (right) and Sal Frelick (left) hug after their team won. (Chris O'Meara/The Associated Press)

The World Series title comes in the 58th season for a franchise that began as the Seattle Pilots in 1969 and moved to Milwaukee the following year. The