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Brewers Edge Rays 3-2 in World Series Opener, Take 1-0 Series Lead

Trevor Megill struck out Jonny DeLuca with the tying run at third base to close out a 3-2 Game 1 win over Tampa Bay on Friday night. The Brewers lead the World Series 1-0.

By admin Oct. 24, 2026 · 1:42 AM ET 4 min read

Aerial night view of a packed baseball stadium with its retractable roof partially open and the city lights beyond.

MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Brewers survived a frantic ninth inning to beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 on Friday night in Game 1 of the World Series. The win gives Milwaukee a 1-0 series lead in a Fall Classic between two clubs still seeking their first championship.

The win came in front of a sellout crowd of 43,250 at American Family Field, according to USA Today, for Milwaukee’s first World Series home game in 44 years. The Brewers’ only other appearance in the Fall Classic ended in a seven-game loss in 1982, per Reuters.

A baseball pitcher in a plain dark uniform delivers a pitch from the mound at night under stadium floodlights.
A pitcher delivers during the World Series opener in Milwaukee on Friday night.

Jacob Misiorowski set the tone from the very first pitch: his 103.5 mph fastball to Yandy Diaz was the fastest recorded pitch ever thrown by a starting pitcher in a World Series game, according to USA Today. The old mark was 101.1 mph. The rookie right-hander allowed one run on four hits over five innings with three strikeouts and one walk on 78 pitches. His 1.80 ERA and 252 strikeouts each led the major leagues in the regular season, per Reuters. Abner Uribe and Aaron Ashby then combined for three scoreless innings with five strikeouts, and Ashby retired all five batters he faced to extend his scoreless postseason streak to 14 innings.

Milwaukee scored twice in the first inning off Rays starter Nick Martinez. Jackson Chourio singled on the first pitch, then scored on Christian Yelich’s one-out triple that glanced off the glove of a diving Jonny DeLuca in right-center. William Contreras followed with an RBI single to left for a 2-0 lead.

Close-up of a worn leather baseball glove holding a baseball, with blurred stadium lights behind it.
A glove and ball under the lights.

Contreras did as much damage behind the plate. He drove in a run and reached base three times, threw out two runners trying to steal (Victor Mesa Jr. at third in the fifth and Jonathan Aranda on a strike-’em-out, throw-’em-out double play in the sixth) and won two automated ball-strike challenges. “Contreras was incredible,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said after the game, per USA Today. “If anybody doesn’t notice the contributions of Contreras, he was the player of the game.”

Tampa Bay pulled within 2-1 in the fourth when Aranda drew a leadoff walk, advanced to third when center fielder Garrett Mitchell misplayed Junior Caminero’s 112.7 mph drive into a double, and scored on Liam Hicks’ groundout. Milwaukee restored the two-run cushion in the seventh: rookie Cooper Pratt worked an eight-pitch walk off Steven Matz after falling behind 1-2, moved up on a groundout and scored on Chourio’s two-out, first-pitch RBI single down the right-field line off Kevin Kelly.

Martinez took the loss after giving up two runs on five hits in five innings with five strikeouts and no walks. He started because Tampa Bay pushed ace Drew Rasmussen back to Game 2 for an extra day of rest.

Ninth inning turns on replay review

Megill entered to start the ninth and promptly ran into trouble. Aranda and Chandler Simpson opened with consecutive one-out singles, and pinch runner Jorge Mateo and Simpson executed a double steal. Caminero walked to load the bases.

Hicks then appeared to bounce into a game-ending double play, and the Brewers had already started shaking hands as fireworks went off over the ballpark. But Rays manager Kevin Cash challenged, and replay showed shortstop Cooper Pratt’s right foot was slightly off the bag when he caught second baseman Brice Turang’s throw. Caminero was ruled safe at second, and Mateo crossed the plate during the play to cut Milwaukee’s lead to 3-2 with runners on second and third.

Fireworks explode above a baseball stadium at night.
Fireworks over the ballpark.

Megill regrouped and struck out DeLuca with the tying and winning runs in scoring position. DeLuca said afterward that the smoke from the premature fireworks hanging in the air was “not ideal” for his at-bat, according to USA Today. The save was Megill’s fifth in five postseason chances.

Game 2 is Saturday

The series resumes Saturday at American Family Field with an 8 p.m. ET first pitch on Fox. Rasmussen, a former Brewers draft pick who won 16 games with a 2.67 ERA this season, starts for the Rays against Logan Henderson for Milwaukee.

A large stadium crowd with raised hands cheers under bright lights as confetti falls.
Fans celebrate during the World Series opener.

It is the first World Series between two potential first-time champions since 1980, when the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Kansas City Royals in six games. The Rockies, Padres and Mariners are the only other major league clubs without a title, per NBC Sports. Game 1 winners have gone on to win the World Series 77 times in 121 tries, according to USA Today. The Rays are now 0-3 in World Series openers.

Reporting based on coverage by Reuters/Field Level Media, NBC Sports and USA Today.

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