Sports · Explainer
Brewers escape a harrowing ninth to beat the Rays 3-2 in World Series Game 1
Watch: MLB's official Game 1 highlights, from Misiorowski's first pitch to the final strikeout. Video: MLB · YouTube
The Milwaukee Brewers won their first World Series game in 44 years on Friday night, beating the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 at American Family Field — but only after a ninth inning that nearly undid all of it. According to Reuters, closer Trevor Megill stranded the tying run at third base, striking out Jonny DeLuca with runners on second and third after an apparent game-ending double play was overturned on review. Milwaukee, whose only previous World Series appearance was a seven-game loss in 1982, leads the series 1-0.
The ninth inning, step by step
Megill entered to start the ninth protecting a 3-1 lead and, per Reuters' game report, gave up consecutive one-out singles to Jonathan Aranda and Chandler Simpson. Pinch runner Jorge Mateo and Simpson then executed a double steal, and Junior Caminero walked to load the bases. Liam Hicks bounced into what looked like a game-ending double play — until video review showed shortstop Cooper Pratt's foot was pulled off second base on Brice Turang's throw. Hicks was out on the fielder's choice, Mateo scored to make it 3-2, and Megill struck out DeLuca for his fifth postseason save in five opportunities.
A record fastball and five gritty innings
Jacob Misiorowski set the tone on the game's first pitch: a 103.5 mph fastball, the fastest pitch in World Series history, according to Reuters. Misiorowski (1-0) allowed one run on four hits over five innings — three strikeouts, one walk, 78 pitches — in a season where his 1.80 ERA and 252 strikeouts each led the majors. Abner Uribe and Aaron Ashby followed with three scoreless innings, striking out five; USA Today notes Ashby has now run his scoreless postseason streak to 14 innings.
William Contreras ran the game from behind the plate
The first inning put Milwaukee ahead for good: Jackson Chourio singled on the first pitch he saw and scored on Christian Yelich's RBI triple, and William Contreras followed with an RBI single, per NBC Sports. Chourio's two-out RBI single in the seventh made it 3-1 and stood up as the winning run. But it was Contreras's defense that defined the night. According to USA Today's William Contreras breakdown, he reached base three times and threw out two would-be base stealers — becoming just the fifth catcher in the past 50 World Series to record multiple hits and multiple caught stealings in the same game — against a Rays team that had entered the series 10-for-10 in stolen-base attempts. Contreras is batting .394 (13 for 33) with three homers and six RBIs this postseason. "Contreras was incredible," Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. "He was the player of the game." Tampa Bay, for its part, went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position, according to Sports Illustrated.
What it means, and Game 2 tonight
- History favors Milwaukee: the Game 1 winner has gone on to win the World Series 62.8% of the time, per NBC Sports.
- A first-time champion is guaranteed: as our World Series preview explainer lays out, neither franchise has ever won a title — the first such matchup since 1980.
- Game 2: Saturday, October 24 at 8:08 PM ET at American Family Field on FOX, per USA Today's how-to-watch guide. Tampa Bay starts Drew Rasmussen (postseason 2-0, 1.29 ERA), who was pushed back from Game 1 for an extra day's rest; Milwaukee counters with rookie Logan Henderson. The Brewers are 21-4 in Henderson's 25 career starts, while Rasmussen is 11-0 with a 1.73 ERA since the All-Star break, according to BVM Sports.
- Rest of the series: Game 3 is Monday, October 26 at Tropicana Field, with Games 4 and 5 (if needed) in Tampa Bay and Games 6 and 7 (if needed) back in Milwaukee on October 30-31 — every game at 8 PM ET on FOX.
Going to Milwaukee? Official Brewers tickets are sold through MLB.com. For another comeback story from this week, see how the 76ers erased a 29-point deficit in LeBron James's Philadelphia home debut.
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Sources: Reuters / Field Level Media (final score, ninth-inning sequence, Misiorowski line and 103.5 mph record pitch, Martinez line); NBC Sports / AP (first-inning rally, 62.8% Game 1 stat, first-time-champion context); USA Today (Contreras: three times on base, two caught stealings, fifth catcher in 50 Series, .394 postseason, Rays 10-for-10, Murphy quote, 43,250 crowd); Sports Illustrated (Rays 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position); USA Today and BVM Sports (Game 2 time, TV and starters). Box score: Milwaukee 3 runs, 8 hits; Tampa Bay 2 runs, 7 hits; no errors.