The Milwaukee Brewers are one win closer to their first World Series championship after taking care of business against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night.
Milwaukee held on for a 3-2 victory in Game 1 at American Family Field, giving Brewers fans a memorable start to a World Series that has been 44 years in the making. The Brewers last appeared in the Fall Classic in 1982, and they now have the opening win they wanted in front of their home crowd.
It was not always comfortable, especially late in the game, but the Brewers found a way to get the job done.
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Brewers Strike First in World Series Opener
Milwaukee wasted little time getting on the scoreboard.
Jackson Chourio opened the scoring sequence by reaching base and coming around to score on a Christian Yelich triple. William Contreras followed with an RBI single, giving the Brewers a 2-0 lead in the first inning.
It was exactly the kind of start Milwaukee needed. The Brewers put pressure on Tampa Bay early and gave their starting pitcher some room to work.
The Rays got a run back in the fourth inning when Liam Hicks grounded out to bring home Jonathan Aranda, cutting Milwaukee’s lead to 2-1. The Brewers had to keep working after that, but their pitching staff did enough to keep Tampa Bay from taking control.
Jacob Misiorowski Makes History in World Series Debut
Jacob Misiorowski delivered a strong outing in the biggest start of his young career.
The Brewers right-hander allowed one run on four hits over five innings, striking out three and walking one. He also made history with his very first pitch of the night, throwing a 103.5 mph fastball to Yandy Díaz. That pitch set a new record for the fastest pitch tracked in World Series history.
Misiorowski’s overpowering fastball has been one of his biggest weapons all season, and he showed Tampa Bay that it would be no different on baseball’s biggest stage.
The Rays managed to put runners on base, but Misiorowski limited the damage and left Milwaukee in position to win. He earned the victory, while Nick Martinez took the loss for Tampa Bay.
Brewers Hold On to Win Game 1
Milwaukee added a crucial insurance run in the seventh inning, which proved important when Tampa Bay threatened late.
The Rays scored again in the ninth inning after the , making the final moments tense for the home crowd. But the Brewers managed to close it out, with Trevor Megill recording the save to secure the 3-2 win.
It was not a perfect game from Milwaukee, but the Brewers did what they needed to do: get an early lead, receive a strong start from Misiorowski and make the important plays when the pressure was on.
Now, they have a chance to build on that momentum in Game 2 on Saturday night at American Family Field.
The Brewers know one win does not decide a World Series, but opening the series with a victory at home is a meaningful first step. After everything this team has done to get here, Milwaukee has given its fans another reason to believe this could finally be the year.