ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (CBS 58) — It's a moment Milwaukee Brewers fans have dreamed of for 44 years. The wait is finally over. The Milwaukee Brewers are World Series champions for the first time in franchise history.

The Brewers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 on Wednesday night in St. Petersburg, winning the best-of-seven series 4-1 to capture the franchise's first World Series title.

Milwaukee catcher William Contreras was named World Series Most Valuable Player after delivering a standout performance throughout the Fall Classic, contributing both offensively and defensively to the Brewers' historic championship run.

Milwaukee struck first in the second inning, with rookie Cooper Pratt continuing his hot hitting from Game 4. Pratt delivered an RBI single to give the Brewers an early 1-0 lead.

The Brewers extended their lead in the fifth inning when David Hamilton, who has emerged as a key contributor near the bottom of Milwaukee's lineup, delivered an RBI single to make it 2-0.

Milwaukee added two more runs in the sixth inning. Contreras drove in a run with an RBI double before Pratt lifted a sacrifice fly to score Contreras from third base, extending the Brewers' lead to 4-0.

Pratt's sacrifice fly also brought an end to a historic streak at the plate. The 22-year-old rookie had recorded hits in six consecutive World Series at-bats, setting an MLB record for a rookie.

On the mound, National League Cy Young Award contender Jacob Misiorowski delivered a dominant performance against Tampa Bay's lineup, pitching 5 2/3 scoreless innings, striking out two and allowing just two hits and one walk.

Misiorowski, who led Major League Baseball during the regular season with a 1.80 ERA and 252 strikeouts, threw 86 pitches before exiting in the sixth inning because of a right calf cramp.

JoJo Romero took over in relief following Misiorowski's outing, pitching two-thirds of an inning and striking out one.

With Chandler Simpson on second base and one out in the bottom of the seventh, Abner Uribe entered the game and induced a groundout from pinch-hitter Richie Palacios. Uribe then worked a full count against pinch-hitter Victor Mesa Jr. before forcing another groundout to second base, escaping the inning and preserving Milwaukee's 4-0 lead.

The Brewers turned to Trevor Megill in the eighth inning, replacing Uribe with just six outs separating Milwaukee from its first World Series championship. Megill retired the Rays in order, striking out Jonathan Aranda to end the inning and send the Brewers into the ninth with their four-run lead intact.

Megill returned to the mound for the ninth inning, looking to finish the job and secure the most significant victory in franchise history. He struck out Junior Caminero to open the inning before surrendering a double to Liam Hicks, putting a runner in scoring position. Megill responded by striking out Johnny DeLuca, bringing Milwaukee within one out of its first World Series championship.

However, Chandler Simpson kept Tampa Bay's hopes alive, delivering an RBI double to score Hicks and cut Milwaukee's lead to 4-1. Despite allowing the run, Megill remained on the mound to face Richie Palacios, looking to secure the final out and deliver Milwaukee its long-awaited championship.

Palacios grounded a ball to second baseman Brice Turang, who made the throw to first for the final out, setting off a celebration 44 years in the making and delivering a moment Milwaukee will remember forever.

A historic season for Milwaukee

The championship caps off one of the most successful seasons in Brewers history, with Milwaukee setting a franchise record with 103 regular-season victories.

Under manager Pat Murphy, the Brewers finished 103-59, winning the National League Central and securing the best record in Major League Baseball.

Milwaukee also reached the 100-win milestone for the first time in franchise history, earning the No. 1 overall postseason seed and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

The Brewers' success continued into October, defeating the San Diego Padres in four games in the National League Division Series before completing a four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Championship Series.

That sweep was particularly meaningful for Milwaukee, which had been eliminated by the Dodgers in the 2025 NLCS in four games. The Brewers became the first team in MLB history to be swept by an opponent in one postseason and return the following year to sweep that same opponent.

Jake Bauers earned NLCS MVP honors after driving in six runs against Los Angeles, becoming the first Brewers player to win the award.

Milwaukee then carried that momentum into the World Series, winning the first three games against Tampa Bay before the Rays rallied for a dramatic 4-3 victory in 12 innings in Game 4.

But the Brewers refused to let another championship opportunity slip away, bouncing back Wednesday night to finish the job.

Milwaukee finished the postseason with an 11-2 record, losing just twice throughout its championship run.

Historic performances power championship run

Milwaukee's championship run featured several remarkable individual performances, with both established veterans and emerging young stars making their mark on postseason history.

Leading the way was Contreras, who earned World Series MVP honors after serving as one of Milwaukee's most consistent offensive threats while also handling the team's pitching staff throughout the Fall Classic.

The catcher entered the World Series batting .367 during the postseason, with three home runs, five RBIs and a 1.157 OPS. He continued to produce against Tampa Bay, recording multiple hits in each of the first three games before adding a crucial RBI double in Wednesday's championship-clinching victory.

Contreras also made several significant defensive contributions, including throwing out runners attempting to steal and making a critical tag at home plate during Game 2.

His ability to impact the game on both sides of the ball proved invaluable to Milwaukee's championship success, earning him the first World Series MVP award in Brewers franchise history.

Jackson Chourio also delivered a historic postseason at just 22 years old.

The young outfielder finished the World Series with 11 hits, setting an MLB record for the most hits in a five-game World Series.

Chourio also became the youngest player in MLB history to record multiple hits in each of the first four games of a World Series.

He made additional history during Game 4, recording his 31st career postseason hit to surpass Andruw Jones for the most postseason hits by a player before turning 23.

Chourio accomplished the feat in just 24 postseason games, compared with the 45 games Jones needed to record 30 hits.

The outfielder also became the Brewers' all-time postseason home run leader earlier in October. He now has six career playoff home runs, surpassing the previous franchise record shared by Orlando Arcia and Prince Fielder.

Meanwhile, Milwaukee's bullpen played a crucial role throughout the postseason, with Aaron Ashby, Abner Uribe, Trevor Megill, DL Hall and JoJo Romero delivering key performances in high-pressure situations.

Ashby's postseason performance was especially historic.

The left-hander recorded 18 consecutive scoreless relief innings during the playoffs, breaking the MLB single-postseason record previously held by Andrew Miller, who pitched 16 scoreless innings for Cleveland in 2016.

Ashby also became the first pitcher in postseason history to record at least five outs without allowing a run in seven consecutive appearances.

The championship run also featured an emotional comeback for one of Milwaukee's longest-tenured players, Brandon Woodruff.

Woodruff returned to the mound in Game 3 of the World Series, recording the final out of Milwaukee's 10-1 victory over Tampa Bay. It marked his first postseason appearance since 2021 after years of battling shoulder injuries, including major surgery in 2023.

Woodruff, who made his major league debut with Milwaukee in 2017, is one of the longest-tenured players in the organization. Christian Yelich, who joined the Brewers in 2018, is another veteran who has experienced years of postseason heartbreak with the franchise.

Now, both can call themselves World Series champions.

44 years of waiting comes to an end

The championship marks the first World Series title in Brewers franchise history and just the second for a Major League Baseball team representing Milwaukee.

The Milwaukee Braves previously brought a World Series championship to the city in 1957, defeating the New York Yankees in seven games behind a roster featuring Hall of Famers Hank Aaron, Eddie Mathews and Warren Spahn.

The Brewers' only previous World Series appearance came in 1982, when Milwaukee's beloved "Harvey's Wallbangers" fell to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games.

That team, featuring franchise legends Robin Yount, Paul Molitor and Cecil Cooper, came within one victory of bringing a championship back to Milwaukee.

For the next 44 years, Brewers fans endured the frustration of postseason defeats, missed opportunities and seasons that ended just short of the ultimate goal.

But the 2026 Brewers changed that narrative.

From a franchise-record 103-win regular season to an 11-2 postseason run, Milwaukee overcame some of baseball's toughest competition to accomplish something no Brewers team had ever done.

For the generations of fans who experienced the heartbreak of 1982, the disappointment of subsequent playoff exits and the long wait for another opportunity, Wednesday night's victory represented the culmination of decades of hope.

Forty-four years after their first appearance in the Fall Classic, the Brewers have finally reached the top of the baseball world.

The Milwaukee Brewers are World Series champions.