Brewers withstand Rays' comeback
attempt to win 3-2 in Game 1 of World Series
[October 24, 2026]
By STEVE MEGARGEE
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Trevor Megill was shouting in celebration and the
Milwaukee Brewers were bolting out of the dugout to congratulate one
another, believing they had just escaped a ninth-inning jam to win
Game 1 of the World Series.
Not quite yet.
What initially was ruled a game-ending double play got overturned
after a video review showed 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.
No problem.
Megill regrouped and struck out Jonny DeLuca with two runners in
scoring position as Milwaukee edged the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 on Friday
night.
“It's good to get the first win out of the way,” Megill said.
“That's where all the nerves are at. First game, a lot of
anticipation and build-up to where we are right now."
The ninth inning was particularly nerve-racking for the Brewers and
the sellout crowd attending Milwaukee’s first World Series game
since 1982.
“You have a big range of emotions,” said team captain Christian
Yelich, whose RBI triple in the first put the Brewers ahead for
good. “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.”
Tampa Bay trailed 3-1 and hadn’t put a runner on since the sixth
until it mounted its comeback attempt against Megill.
Jonathan Aranda, who went 3 for 3 with a walk, and Chandler Simpson
hit consecutive one-out singles. A double steal involving
pinch-runner Jorge Mateo and Simpson put runners on second and third
before Junior Caminero walked on a 3-2 pitch in the dirt to load the
bases.
Liam 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 called a 4-6-3 double play.
Fireworks went off, players poured onto the field and Milwaukee fans
roared. But then the crowd hushed as it watched the play again on
the videoboard.
“You've got to think worst-case scenario there,” Megill said. “I
thought the challenge was at first base, maybe a bobble or
something. But it was pretty clear once the replay went up that it
was on the play at second base. Zoomed in and it didn't look good.
It's all right. We picked up Cooper there. He'll pick us up
tomorrow.”
The out call at second was changed to safe by umpire Alfonso Márquez
at the MLB Replay Center, which caught Pratt by surprise.
“Obviously, it was close,” the 22-year-old rookie said. “I just
didn't think it was enough to overturn, so I wasn't thinking
anything of it. The video I saw, thought my cleat was dragging. ...
There must have been some other angles that I haven't seen. It
ultimately didn't matter because we won.”
The Brewers won because Megill got DeLuca to swing and miss at a 2-2
pitch, capping a night in which Tampa Bay went 0 for 6 with runners
in scoring position.
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Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras runs on a base hit
during the eighth inning of Game 1 of baseball's World Series,
Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, in Milwaukee, between the Milwaukee Brewers
and the Tampa Bay Rays. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
“This is an extremely confident group,” Rays
manager Kevin Cash said. “You know that. We know that. They’re going
to be fine. I think the frustration comes from we were one swing of
the bat away right at the end of potentially taking the lead.”
The Game 1 winner has gone on to win the World Series 62.8% of the
time.
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.
Milwaukee took a 2-0 lead in the first inning against Nick Martinez.
NL Cy Young Award favorite Jacob Misiorowski allowed one run and
four hits over five innings to help the Brewers stay in front before
relievers Abner Uribe and Aaron Ashby shut down the Rays through the
eighth.
Misiorowski, who had a season-low three strikeouts, opened the game
with a 103.5 mph fastball — the fastest pitch ever thrown in a World
Series.
“The adrenaline kind of took over, and I tensed up and threw it
hard,” said Misiorowski, who earned the win. “Then I settled down,
and that was the game plan, to settle in and do me. Don’t try and
overdo it.”
Milwaukee's Jackson Chourio and William Contreras each had two hits,
including an RBI single. Contreras also threw out two runners trying
to steal.
Tampa Bay managed to hang around thanks in part to Martinez, who
gave up those two runs in the first but held Milwaukee scoreless
through the rest of his five-inning stint. The Brewers added an
insurance run in the seventh when Chourio singled home Pratt.
Then came all the action in the ninth, with the Brewers' premature
celebration followed by a team-wide sigh of relief as Pratt offered
some parting words to Megill.
“I just said, ‘Thank you, man. Thanks for picking me up,’” Pratt
said. “That’s what this game is. It's a game of pick-me-up. He
picked me up today.”
Up next
Drew Rasmussen (16-5, 2.67 ERA) pitches for Tampa Bay and Logan
Henderson (11-3, 2.47) starts for Milwaukee in Game 2 on Saturday
night. In this postseason, Rasmussen is 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA and
Henderson is 0-0 with a 3.00 ERA.
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