The Tampa Bay Rays are headed to the World Series for the third time in franchise history, booking a Fall Classic showdown with the Milwaukee Brewers.

The matchup between the Rays and Brewers pits the two best teams during baseball’s regular season against one another for a title. It also ensures history will be made – neither franchise has ever won a World Series.

The Rays punched their ticket to baseball’s biggest stage with a 7-3 victory over the Cleveland Guardians in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series, taking the best-of-seven series four games to two.

The Rays got on the board early when second baseman Richie Palacios laced a double into the gap in right-centerfield, scoring Victor Mesa Jr. and Chandler Simpson. Jonny DeLuca’s sacrifice fly in the next inning gave the Rays a 3-0 lead, and Tropicana Field – usually one of the emptiest stadiums in MLB – was rocking.

The Guardians pulled a run back in the sixth when Nathaniel Lowe knocked a single up the middle, scoring Chase DeLauter. But the moment of the game was to come an inning later when the Rays’ star stepped to the plate.

Junior Caminero, a player who would be a major star in the league if he played in almost any other market, walked to the plate after catcher Liam Hicks drew a walk. Caminero hit 42 home runs during the regular season and is one of the few power threats in the small-ball Rays’ lineup.

On the first pitch, he turned on a split-fingered fastball that ran toward his hands. Showing off his bat speed, Caminero turned on the ball and pulled it down the left field line. It clanged off the foul pole for a two-run home run that ultimately provided far more than just insurance.

In the top of the eighth, the Guardians made their push. DeLauter reached on an infield single and Lowe moved him up with a two-out single of his own. Then the Rays’ bullpen, usually so reliable, turned shaky.

Ian Seymour entered to pitch to rookie star Travis Bazzana and walked him to load the bases. Catcher Patrick Bailey then walked to force in a run and Seymour plunked Angel Martinez to force in another. With the wheels threatening to come off, Rays manager Kevin Cash yanked Seymour and put in Kevin Kelly.

Kelly righted the ship, striking out Brayan Rocchio to end the Cleveland threat.

Just a few moments later, all the worries were set aside for Rays fans.

After Taylor Walls earned a one-out walk, longtime Ray Yandy Díaz stepped to the plate. He took a pitch from Cleveland reliever Hunter Gaddis and turned on it, blasting it over the left field fence and sending the Tropicana Field crowd into delirium.

It’s the third time that the Rays will play for a title after losing in 2008 to the Philadelphia Phillies and in the Covid-19 shortened 2020 season to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Their opponents, the Brewers, are returning to the Fall Classic for the first time since 1982.

The first game of the Fall Classic will be played at 8 p.m. ET on Friday at American Family Field in Milwaukee.