Milwaukee Brewers fans finally got their moment, waiting 44 years for this night and watching their team snag a powerful 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 1 of the World Series on Friday. In front of 43,250 screaming fans at American Family Field, who were on their feet for most of the game, the Brewers earned a hard-fought win, even if the Rays refused to go quietly.
Misiorowski’s Heat and the Bullpen Shutout
Jacob Misiorowski, Milwaukee’s ace, came out absolutely DEALING. Pitching on 11 days’ rest, he set the tone on the very first pitch of the game with a 103.5-mph fastball. Let that sink in for a second: that is the fastest pitch ever thrown in a World Series game since they started tracking speeds in 2008. He wasn’t just doing it once, either. Misiorowski threw 10 pitches over 101-mph in the first inning alone, with five of those clearing 102-mph. He dominated for five innings, giving up just four hits and one run while striking out three. It might not have been “vintage Miz” after a long season, throwing 45 more innings, but it was exactly what the Brewers needed.
Then the bullpen took over, and man, did they ever slam the door shut. The Brewers’ relief corps pitched four shutout innings, allowing only two singles. Aaron Ashby was particularly brilliant, tossing 1 ⅔ shutout innings himself, continuing an incredible postseason run where he’s now pitched 14 shutout innings, giving up a grand total of four hits. Talk about a shutdown unit!
Scrappy Offense and Rays’ Costly Mistakes
Milwaukee’s offense didn’t need to blast dingers to get the job done. They had only two extra-base hits and didn’t hit a single homer, but they scrapped and clawed their way to three runs. The top four hitters in the lineup,Jackson Chourio, Jake Bauers, Christian Yelich, and William Contreras,were key, producing six of the team’s eight hits. They did most of their damage right away in the first inning when Chourio led off with a single. Then Yelich smacked a one-out triple to center field that glanced off Jonny DeLuca’s glove, and Contreras followed up with a sharp single off shortstop Taylor Walls with a drawn-in infield. That’s how you manufacture runs in October!
The Rays, meanwhile, were their own worst enemy. They ran into outs on the bases a shocking three times, and had two balls glance off their gloves in the field. Even Rays first baseman Jonathan Aranda had to admit before the game, “This team was the best team in the National League, best team in baseball for a reason. … They do almost everything well.” That’s high praise, and the Brewers certainly showed why in Game 1.
A Win 44 Years in the Making
This victory wasn’t just about the score, it was about 44 years of waiting. Brewers fans turned American Family Field into an absolute madhouse, providing an atmosphere that Christian Yelich said was a “difference maker.” He noted, “You kind of just see how excited everybody is in this city. You can kind of feel the energy.” Yelich really hit the nail on the head when he talked about providing memories for generations of fans, those who’ve waited their whole lives for this moment. “It’s cool to be able to provide memories for people to be able to share with their family, their kids, their grandparents, or just friends that have been Brewers’ fans over the years for decades and getting to kind of experience this together. We know we represent a city and a state, and we’re proud to do it.”
What a start for the Brewers and their faithful. Game 1 was a grind, but they earned it. You gotta believe those fans, who’ve waited 44 years, are looking forward to every single pitch this series. Bring on Game 2!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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