Brewers Secure 3-2 Victory Over Rays in World Series Game 1
It’s good to get the first win out of the way,
Milwaukee relief pitcher Trevor Megill said after closing out a tense ninth inning at American Family Field, The Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 on Friday night in Game 1 of the World Series, taking an early advantage in a matchup featuring two franchises seeking their first title.
The game marked Milwaukee’s first World Series appearance since 1982, drawing a sellout crowd that witnessed an eventful opener. The Brewers struck first in the bottom of the first inning against Tampa Bay starting pitcher Nick Martinez. Christian Yelich hit an RBI triple to score Jackson Chourio, and Yelich subsequently scored on an RBI single by William Contreras. Tampa Bay responded in the top of the fourth when Liam Hicks drove in Jonathan Aranda with an RBI groundout, cutting the deficit to 2-1.
Chourio And Bullpen Hold Off Tampa Bay
Milwaukee extended its lead in the bottom of the seventh inning. With two outs, Jackson Chourio hit an RBI single off Rays reliever Kevin Kelly, scoring Cooper Pratt to make it 3-1. On the mound, NL Cy Young Award favorite Jacob Misiorowski started for the Brewers and pitched five innings, allowing one run and four hits while recording three strikeouts. Misiorowski opened the game by throwing a 103.5 mph fastball, which was the fastest pitch ever thrown in a World Series.
Wow.Brewers thought they had Game 1, but the call was overturned, and we play on with 2 outs in the 9th. pic.twitter.com/5EJ5cOXeLG
Following Misiorowski’s departure, the Milwaukee bullpen maintained the lead. Abner Uribe pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings, and Aaron Ashby added 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. Contreras also contributed defensively by throwing out two runners on attempted steals during the contest.
Video Review Overturns Rays Double Play in Ninth
The ninth inning brought significant drama when the Rays mounted a comeback against Trevor Megill. Jonathan Aranda and Chandler Simpson hit consecutive one-out singles, followed by a double steal involving pinch-runner Jorge Mateo and Simpson. After Junior Caminero drew a walk to load the bases, Liam Hicks hit a ground ball to the right side. Second baseman Brice Turang fielded it and threw to shortstop Cooper Pratt for what was initially ruled a 4-6-3 inning-ending double play.
Celebrations erupted on the field before a video review initiated by the umpires overturned the call. Replays showed Pratt’s right foot was slightly off the bag when catching the throw from Turang. The ruling changed the play to a run-scoring groundout, bringing Tampa Bay within one run at 3-2. Megill recovered from the disruption by striking out Jonny DeLuca with runners on second and third to end the threat. You have a big range of emotions,
Yelich said regarding the review. It’s a big credit to Trev for locking back in right there and making some huge pitches after you have that emotional dump.
Historical Context Of The Matchup
This Fall Classic guarantees a first-time champion, marking the first World Series between two franchises without a title since 1980, when the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Kansas City Royals. The Rays previously lost the World Series in 2008 to the Phillies and in 2020 to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Game 2 of the series takes place in Milwaukee on Saturday.
Frequently Asked Questions About Game 1
Who started Game 1 for the Tampa Bay Rays?
Nick Martinez started on the mound for Tampa Bay, pitching five innings with five strikeouts and two runs allowed. Rays manager Kevin Cash turned to Martinez to allow top starters Drew Rasmussen and Freddy Peralta extra rest for subsequent games.
How did the ninth-inning double play get overturned?
Umpires reviewed the final play at second base and determined that Milwaukee shortstop Cooper Pratt’s right foot was slightly off the bag when he received the throw from second baseman Brice Turang, changing the out call to a groundout that scored a run.
When and where is Game 2 scheduled?
Game 2 of the World Series takes place on Saturday at American Family Field in Milwaukee.
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