MILWAUKEE, Wis. — After 44 years of waiting, the Milwaukee Brewers made their return to the World Series a memorable one Friday night, defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 in Game 1 at American Family Field to take an early 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Behind a strong performance from rookie starting pitcher Jacob Misiorowski, timely hitting from Christian Yelich and Jackson Chourio, and several critical defensive plays, Milwaukee secured its first World Series victory since 1982. The Brewers nearly watched their advantage disappear in the ninth inning, but closer Trevor Megill escaped a bases-loaded situation to preserve the victory. (MLB)
The victory marked another significant milestone in what has already been a historic postseason for Milwaukee. After sweeping the defending National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS, the Brewers entered the Fall Classic seeking the first World Series championship in franchise history.
Milwaukee Strikes Early Behind Yelich and Contreras
The Brewers wasted little time giving their home crowd something to celebrate, jumping ahead with two runs in the bottom of the first inning against Tampa Bay starter Nick Martinez.
Jackson Chourio opened the inning with a single before Christian Yelich delivered one of the biggest hits of the night. Making his first career World Series plate appearance, the veteran outfielder lined a ball into right-center field that eluded a diving Jonny DeLuca, allowing Chourio to score while Yelich raced into third with an RBI triple.
William Contreras followed with an RBI single, bringing Yelich home and extending Milwaukee’s advantage to 2-0 before Tampa Bay could settle into the game.
The early offensive production provided an important cushion for Milwaukee, which entered the series following an extended layoff after its NLCS sweep. Rather than showing signs of rust, the Brewers immediately established themselves against the American League champions. (MLB)
Misiorowski Delivers Historic World Series Performance
Milwaukee’s early advantage placed the spotlight on rookie right-hander Jacob Misiorowski, who was making the biggest start of his young career.
The 24-year-old responded with five impressive innings, allowing just one earned run on four hits while striking out three batters and walking one.
Misiorowski also made World Series history with a fastball that reached 103.5 mph, the fastest pitch recorded in a World Series game during the pitch-tracking era.
Tampa Bay finally broke through in the fourth inning when Junior Caminero delivered a hard-hit double that put two runners in scoring position. Liam Hicks followed with an RBI groundout, bringing Jonathan Aranda home and cutting Milwaukee’s lead to 2-1.
However, Misiorowski prevented the Rays from adding another run, maintaining Milwaukee’s narrow advantage through the fifth inning.
His performance was particularly important considering Tampa Bay’s aggressive approach on the basepaths and ability to manufacture runs without relying exclusively on home runs. (AP News)
Contreras’ Defense Helps Milwaukee Maintain Control
While Milwaukee’s offense provided the early lead, its defense played an equally important role in keeping Tampa Bay from completing a comeback.
Contreras delivered two crucial caught-stealing plays that eliminated potential scoring opportunities.
In the fifth inning, the Brewers catcher threw out Victor Mesa Jr. attempting to steal third base, ending a developing threat. One inning later, Contreras caught Jonathan Aranda attempting to steal second as Chandler Simpson struck out, completing a strikeout-throwout double play.
Those defensive contributions proved especially valuable against a Tampa Bay lineup built around speed, aggressive baserunning and consistent contact.
The Rays finished the evening without a hit in six opportunities with runners in scoring position, a statistic that ultimately played a significant role in the outcome. (MLB)
Chourio Provides Critical Insurance Run in Seventh
With Milwaukee protecting a one-run lead, Chourio delivered another important contribution in the bottom of the seventh inning.
The young outfielder lined an RBI single into right field against reliever Kevin Kelly, scoring rookie shortstop Cooper Pratt and extending the Brewers’ advantage to 3-1.
Chourio finished the night 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored, continuing to establish himself as one of Milwaukee’s most important offensive players.
Contreras also collected two hits and drove in a run, while Yelich’s first-inning triple remained one of the defining offensive moments of the game.
The Brewers finished with eight hits compared with Tampa Bay’s seven, demonstrating how a handful of timely offensive contributions can determine the outcome of a closely contested postseason game. (CBS Sports)
Ninth-Inning Replay Review Nearly Changes Everything
Despite Milwaukee appearing to have control entering the ninth inning, Tampa Bay refused to go quietly.
Trailing 3-1, the Rays loaded the bases against closer Trevor Megill, putting the tying and potential go-ahead runs in scoring position.
Liam Hicks then hit a ground ball toward second baseman Brice Turang, who initiated what initially appeared to be a game-ending double play.
Milwaukee’s players and fans began celebrating, believing the Brewers had secured their first World Series victory in more than four decades.
However, Tampa Bay challenged the play, and replay officials determined that shortstop Cooper Pratt’s foot had come off second base before completing the force out.
The overturned call allowed another Tampa Bay run to score, reducing Milwaukee’s lead to 3-2 and leaving two runners in scoring position with two outs.
Suddenly, the Rays were one base hit away from potentially taking the lead.
Megill responded by striking out Jonny DeLuca, finally securing the last out and sending American Family Field into celebration for a second time.
The dramatic conclusion illustrated just how quickly a World Series game can change, particularly between two teams capable of manufacturing runs and capitalizing on defensive mistakes. (MLB)
Brewers Take Important First Step Toward Franchise History
Friday’s victory carried significance beyond Milwaukee’s early series advantage.
The Brewers had not appeared in the World Series since 1982, when they lost a seven-game series to the St. Louis Cardinals. More than four decades later, Milwaukee is once again competing for baseball’s ultimate prize.
This year’s matchup also guarantees a first-time World Series champion, as neither Milwaukee nor Tampa Bay has previously won the championship.
Historically, teams winning Game 1 of the World Series have gone on to capture the championship approximately 63% of the time, providing Milwaukee with an encouraging early advantage.
Still, Friday’s narrow victory demonstrated that the Rays are capable of making this a competitive series. Tampa Bay generated several scoring opportunities and came dangerously close to changing the outcome in the final inning.
The Brewers will look to build on their momentum in Game 2 on Saturday, October 24, with Logan Henderson scheduled to start for Milwaukee against Tampa Bay right-hander Drew Rasmussen.
For Milwaukee, Friday night represented more than simply taking a 1-0 series lead. It was the franchise’s first World Series victory in 44 years, another milestone in a season that has already exceeded generations of expectations.
Now, the Brewers are three victories away from accomplishing something no team in franchise history has ever achieved: bringing a World Series championship to Milwaukee. (AP News)
