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10/23 23:23 CDT Brewers withstand Rays' comeback attempt to win 3-2 in Game 1
of World Series
Brewers withstand Rays' comeback attempt to win 3-2 in Game 1 of World Series
By STEVE MEGARGEE
AP Sports Writer
MILWAUKEE (AP) --- Trevor Megill struck out Jonny DeLuca with runners on second
and third to wiggle out of a ninth-inning jam as the Milwaukee Brewers escaped
with a 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 1 of the World Series on
Friday night.
DeLuca's strikeout came after Tampa Bay's Liam Hicks had grounded into an
apparent game-ending double play that was overturned after a video review.
Replays determined that Brewers shortstop Cooper Pratt's right foot was
slightly off the bag when he reached to catch a high throw from second baseman
Brice Turang.
"You have a big range of emotions," Milwaukee captain Christian Yelich said.
"It's a big credit to Trev for locking back in right there and making some huge
pitches after you have that emotional dump and then have to get back on it."
Jacob Misiorowski allowed one run and four hits over five innings to earn the
victory.
Abner Uribe and Aaron Ashby combined for five strikeouts in three scoreless
innings of relief before handing the ball to Megill.
"Not perfect, but good enough to get a win," Misiorowski said.
Yelich hit an RBI triple to spark a two-run rally in the first that put the
Brewers ahead for good and delighted a sellout crowd reveling in Milwaukee's
first World Series game since 1982. Jackson Chourio and William Contreras each
had two hits, including an RBI single. Contreras also threw out two runners
trying to steal.
This marks the first World Series featuring two teams seeking their first
championship since 1980, when the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Kansas City
Royals in six games. The only other major league clubs without a World Series
title are the Colorado Rockies, San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners.
The Game 1 winner has gone on to win the World Series 62.8% of the time.
Tampa Bay trailed 3-1 and hadn't put a runner on since the sixth inning until
it mounted its comeback attempt in the ninth.
Jonathan Aranda and Chandler Simpson hit consecutive one-out singles off
Megill. A double steal involving pinch-runner Jorge Mateo and Simpson put the
potential tying run in scoring position with Rays slugger Junior Caminero at
the plate. Caminero walked on a 3-2 pitch in the dirt to load the bases.
Hicks hit a grounder to the right side, and Turang ranged well to his left to
field the ball before throwing to Pratt to start what initially was ruled a
game-ending double play.
Fireworks went off, players poured onto the field and Milwaukee fans roared ---
before the crowd hushed as it watched the play again on the videoboard.
A replay review determined Pratt's right foot came off the bag as he caught
Turang's throw. Hicks was still out at first, but the Rays now had runners at
second and third with the score 3-2.
"I thought Coop had him, and obviously I was wrong," Misiorowski said.
Megill finally closed the deal as DeLuca struck out swinging.
"You just have to lock it back in," Yelich said. "It's the World Series --- you
have to do what you have to do to make things happen."
By sweeping the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in
the National League Championship Series, the Brewers had time to set up their
rotation the way they wanted by handing the Game 1 start to Misiorowski, the
hard-throwing NL Cy Young Award favorite.
Misiorowski opened the game by throwing the fastest pitch ever delivered in a
World Series, a 103.5 mph ball to Yandy Daz. The right-hander finished with a
season-low three strikeouts.
"Look, he's so talented. He's such a special pitcher. I felt like for him to be
out of the game at five innings, there's a small win in that," Rays manager
Kevin Cash said. "The problem is when you knock him out of the game, you've got
just an elite bullpen that can match up and come in the ballgame like they did
and kept us quiet there."
While Milwaukee started with its ace, Tampa Bay countered with Nick Martinez to
give two-time All-Star pitchers Drew Rasmussen and Freddy Peralta an extra day
of rest. Martinez struck out five and allowed two runs over five innings, but a
slow start proved costly.
Chourio lined a single to right field on Martinez's first pitch, and Yelich
drove him home with a one-out triple to center. DeLuca covered 85 feet to track
down Yelich's drive but just missed making a diving catch as the ball glanced
off his glove.
"I thought Jonny covered a lot of ground right there to even make that play
close," Cash said. "I don't think we did too many things wrong. They did some
things right. Squared some balls up."
Yelich was batting third in the lineup for the first time since Aug. 3. The
three-time All-Star and 2018 NL MVP posted the lowest on-base percentage (.315)
and OPS (.692) of his career, but he has stepped up his since being named the
first team captain in franchise history the final week of the regular season.
He was the seventh player to triple in his first World Series plate appearance,
and the first since Kansas City's Lynn Jones in 1985, according to the Elias
Sports Bureau.
Contreras knocked home Yelich with a line-drive single to left that was
deflected by shortstop Taylor Walls with the infield playing in.
Tampa Bay got a run back in the fourth.
Aranda drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third when Caminero doubled on a
one-out liner with a 112.7 mph exit velocity that sailed over center fielder
Garrett Mitchell and off his outstretched glove. Aranda came home on Hicks'
groundout to the right side.
Milwaukee extended the lead to 3-1 in the seventh. Pratt drew a leadoff walk
from Steven Matz and scored from second when Chourio greeted Kevin Kelly with a
two-out single.
That insurance run proved critical.
"The guys settled in right away and did a great job," Yelich said. "We still
have a ways to go, but it's nice to get that first one."
___
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