MILWAUKEE, Wis. — The Milwaukee Brewers had to win the opener of the World Series twice on Friday night, holding off the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 at American Family Field after a replay review erased what everyone in the ballpark thought was the final out.
The victory was the franchise’s first in a World Series game since 1982. Milwaukee struck right away against Rays starter Nick Martinez, as Christian Yelich tripled in a run in the first inning and William Contreras followed with a single for a 2-0 cushion. Martinez then steadied himself and lasted five innings without allowing more.
Brewers starter Jacob Misiorowski gave up one run across five innings. Tampa Bay got it in the fourth when Junior Caminero smoked a double over the center fielder and Liam Hicks brought in a run on a groundout. Jackson Chourio pushed the margin to 3-1 in the seventh with an opposite-field single.
Milwaukee relievers, who posted the lowest bullpen ERA among NL clubs this year, handled the last four innings. Abner Uribe got four outs and Aaron Ashby five more before closer Trevor Megill took the ninth with a two-run lead.
That is where it got strange. Megill retired the leadoff man, then gave up back-to-back singles, watched both runners swipe a base on the same pitch and issued a free pass to Caminero that filled the bases. Hicks hit a grounder to second baseman Brice Turang, who flipped to Pratt covering second, and the relay to first appeared to finish a game-ending double play. Fireworks went up over the stadium.
The Rays challenged the force at second. Replay officials in New York ruled that Pratt’s right foot had left the bag a split second early, so only the out at first stood, a run scored and Tampa Bay had runners at second and third with two outs, trailing by one.
With smoke still drifting across the field, Megill fell behind Jonny DeLuca two balls and one strike, then got him swinging at a knuckle curve to end it for real. Game 2 is set for Saturday night in Milwaukee.
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