# Brewers Strike First Against Former Ace Peralta as World Series Shifts to Tropicana Field

Developing: Milwaukee carried a 2-0 series lead into Game 3 in St. Petersburg, where Freddy Peralta faced his former club and the Brewers took an early lead. The game was still underway.

By The Signal Edition | Sports / Baseball
Published: 2026-10-27T01:21:00Z
Updated: 2026-10-27T01:21:00Z
Canonical: https://www.thesignaledition.com/article/brewers-rays-world-series-game-3-peralta-36h2q0
Image: https://www.thesignaledition.com/media/457cffb2d03f60953d875d49d31497b4.jpg (Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski tosses a baseball during a World Series media event; credit: SeatGeek; file photograph)

## Summary
- Milwaukee entered Game 3 with a 2-0 World Series lead after one-run victories in the first two games.
- Christian Yelich and William Contreras each drove in a run in the third inning against Tampa Bay starter Freddy Peralta, FOX Sports reported.
- Peralta spent eight seasons with Milwaukee before joining Tampa Bay in 2026; Robert Gasser started for the Brewers.
- The final score and pitching decisions were not yet known when this article was filed.

## What happened early in Game 3?

The Milwaukee Brewers took an early 2-0 lead over the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 3 of the World Series on Monday, with Christian Yelich and William Contreras delivering run-scoring singles in the third inning against former Milwaukee pitcher Freddy Peralta, according to FOX Sports' live tracker. The game at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, remained in progress, so that score was a snapshot rather than a final result. [1](https://www.foxsports.com/mlb/world-series-game-3-milwaukee-brewers-vs-tbd-oct-26-2026-game-boxscore-97238)

Milwaukee arrived in Florida leading the best-of-seven series two games to none. A third victory would put the Brewers one win from their first championship, while Tampa Bay needed a comeback at home to cut the series deficit. Both franchises are seeking their first World Series title, The Associated Press reported. [2](https://apnews.com/article/brewers-rays-world-series-game-2-f67c22051a74370846c32b98fea39fa0) [3](https://apnews.com/article/world-series-rays-brewers-game-1-049d8efa7d3d7c8fc8a4e4b88d8dfe77)

Tampa Bay left fielder Chandler Simpson made a catch at the wall before Milwaukee scored, FOX's game coverage showed. Brewers left fielder Jackson Chourio had already influenced the series at the plate and in the field; in Game 2 he threw out Rays catcher Liam Hicks at home, according to AP. [1](https://www.foxsports.com/mlb/world-series-game-3-milwaukee-brewers-vs-tbd-oct-26-2026-game-boxscore-97238) [2](https://apnews.com/article/brewers-rays-world-series-game-2-f67c22051a74370846c32b98fea39fa0)

## Peralta faces the team that developed him

Peralta's Game 3 assignment brought him against a familiar opponent. The right-hander pitched for Milwaukee from 2018 through 2025, making two All-Star teams there, before the Rays acquired him during the 2026 season. He was named the American League Championship Series MVP after Tampa Bay eliminated Cleveland. Milwaukee countered with left-hander Robert Gasser. [2](https://apnews.com/article/brewers-rays-world-series-game-2-f67c22051a74370846c32b98fea39fa0) [4](https://www.mlb.com/news/brewers-rays-world-series-game-3-starting-lineups-and-pitching-matchup)

The ballpark added its own subplot. Brewers closer Trevor Megill criticized the difficulty of tracking balls against Tropicana Field's light-colored roof during the team's workout, according to The Big Lead. His comments reflected a player's view of the building, not a finding that the roof had affected the outcome of any World Series game. [5](https://www.thebiglead.com/brewers-megill-criticizes-tropicana-field-world-series-game-3/)

## How Milwaukee built its series lead

The Brewers opened the series with a 3-2 win on Friday. Chourio drove in an insurance run in the seventh inning, and Megill struck out Jonny DeLuca to end a ninth-inning Rays threat after a replay review overturned an apparent game-ending double play, AP reported. [3](https://apnews.com/article/world-series-rays-brewers-game-1-049d8efa7d3d7c8fc8a4e4b88d8dfe77)

Game 2 produced another narrow finish. Tampa Bay jumped ahead 4-0 in the first inning, but Milwaukee rallied to win 5-4 on Saturday. Sal Frelick tied the game with a sixth-inning home run and Cooper Pratt put the Brewers ahead with a seventh-inning single. Aaron Ashby recorded the final outs, leaving the tying run at third base. [2](https://apnews.com/article/brewers-rays-world-series-game-2-f67c22051a74370846c32b98fea39fa0) [6](https://www.reuters.com/sports/baseball/brewers-erase-four-run-deficit-take-2-0-world-series-lead-vs-rays--flm-2026-10-25/)

The change of venue brought the World Series back to Tropicana Field for the first time since 2008, MLB reported; Tampa Bay's 2020 Series was played at a neutral site. The Rays returned to the dome in 2026 after hurricane damage forced them to play their 2025 home season elsewhere. [4](https://www.mlb.com/news/brewers-rays-world-series-game-3-starting-lineups-and-pitching-matchup) [7](https://www.wusf.org/sports/2026-02-13/photos-look-inside-tropicana-field-repairs-near-completion)

## What happens next?

Game 4 is scheduled for Tuesday at Tropicana Field, with first pitch at 8 p.m. Eastern and coverage on FOX. The winner of Game 3, the final score and the complete pitching lines were not yet available at filing; those details will determine whether Milwaukee has a chance to clinch on Tuesday or Tampa Bay has narrowed the series. [1](https://www.foxsports.com/mlb/world-series-game-3-milwaukee-brewers-vs-tbd-oct-26-2026-game-boxscore-97238) [8](https://www.mlb.com/news/2026-mlb-playoff-and-world-series-schedule)

## Reporting sources
1. [FOX Sports: Brewers vs. Rays — World Series Game 3 live score and play-by-play](https://www.foxsports.com/mlb/world-series-game-3-milwaukee-brewers-vs-tbd-oct-26-2026-game-boxscore-97238) (2026-10-26)
2. [Associated Press: Frelick, Pratt lift Brewers to 5-4 comeback win over Rays and 2-0 World Series lead](https://apnews.com/article/brewers-rays-world-series-game-2-f67c22051a74370846c32b98fea39fa0) (2026-10-25)
3. [Associated Press: Brewers withstand Rays' comeback attempt to win 3-2 in Game 1 of World Series](https://apnews.com/article/world-series-rays-brewers-game-1-049d8efa7d3d7c8fc8a4e4b88d8dfe77) (2026-10-24)
4. [MLB.com: Brewers-Rays World Series Game 3 FAQ](https://www.mlb.com/news/brewers-rays-world-series-game-3-starting-lineups-and-pitching-matchup) (2026-10-26)
5. [The Big Lead: Brewers pitcher criticizes Rays' stadium roof ahead of World Series Game 3](https://www.thebiglead.com/brewers-megill-criticizes-tropicana-field-world-series-game-3/) (2026-10-26)
6. [Reuters: Brewers erase four-run deficit, take 2-0 World Series lead vs. Rays](https://www.reuters.com/sports/baseball/brewers-erase-four-run-deficit-take-2-0-world-series-lead-vs-rays--flm-2026-10-25/) (2026-10-25)
7. [WUSF: Photos: A look inside Tropicana Field as repairs wind down](https://www.wusf.org/sports/2026-02-13/photos-look-inside-tropicana-field-repairs-near-completion) (2026-02-13)
8. [MLB.com: 2026 MLB Playoff and World Series schedule](https://www.mlb.com/news/2026-mlb-playoff-and-world-series-schedule) (2026-10-24)