The Tampa Bay Rays were frustrated with how they performed in the first two games of the World Series, losing on the road to the Milwaukee Brewers by one run in each contest.

But, they were returning home to Tropicana Field, where they had as much success as any team in baseball. Optimism was still high that they could get right back into the series, with Freddy Peralta on the mound.

Alas, that optimism was completely erased in the top of the fifth inning, when the Brewers put together a historic performance that will be remembered for a long time. They had an eight-run explosion, and without some recent rule changes, it would have never occurred.

With runners on first and second with two outs, Tampa Bay looked to get out of the inning when Junior Caminero fielded a ground ball and threw to second baseman Ben Williamson. Christian Yelich was the runner going to second and was originally called out.

Rays get blitzed by Brewers in historic fifth inning

But the Brewers challenged the play, and it was overturned. Peralta was lifted from the gam by manager Kevin Cash for left-handed reliever Cam Booser. 

What ensued after that is one of the best hitting performances in MLB history, and a historic one for the World Series. With momentum in their favor, Milwaukee began to pour it on.

The Brewers would reel off seven consecutive two-out hits, scoring eight runs in the process. As shared by Jayson Stark of The Athletic (subscription required), this is the first time that any team has recorded seven consecutive hits with two outs in a World Series game.

He added that no team has ever gotten seven straight hits with two outs in any playoff game, regardless of round. Seven straight hits, whether it be with zero or one out, has never even occurred.

Since 2000, according to STATS, Milwaukee has never had seven consecutive hits at any point in the more than 4,400 games the franchise has played, including playoff games. Stark would add that the Brewers are the first team in World Series history to score right runs in an inning with two outs; that is also the most runs ever scored in any inning in World Series history.

What makes the offensive explosion even more impressive is that five out of the 10 runs were charged to Peralta. Coming into Game 3, he allowed only five runs across his last nine starts combined. Over his last 10 appearances, he had allowed one or zero runs.

The 14 consecutive hits that Milwaukee produced is also a World Series record, beating the 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks, who had 13. The Rays had a hit in the bottom of the first inning when Yandy Diaz led off with a single and didn’t get another one until Cedric Mullins pinch hit in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Now, Tampa Bay is on the verge of being swept in the World Series. One call being overturned turned a tightly contested 2-0 game into a blowout in the blink of an eye.