The Milwaukee Brewers notched a 3-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 1 of the 2026 World Series on Friday night at American Family Field.
The Brewers struck early with a pair of first-inning runs off Rays starter Nick Martinez. The first came on an RBI triple from team captain Christian Yelich, who was playing in the World Series for the first time after 1,734 career regular-season games. Milwaukee added a key insurance run in the seventh when Jackson Chourio laced an RBI double down the right field line.
"He's not surprising anybody," Brewers manager Pat Murphy said of Chourio. "You pull anybody that's played against us recently, and they will say Jack Jack is real. That's real. He did it last postseason. He's special. He's got special ability to compete at the big time. He's poised."
Meantime, Jacob Misiorowski made early history in his start, as his first pitch of Game 1 checked in at 103.5 mph, the fastest World Series pitch on record in the pitch-tracking era (i.e., since 2008). Misiorowski was not his peak dominant self in terms of strikeouts or whiffs – the Rays' offense doesn't do much of that – but he did turn in his best start of the current postseason. In five innings of work, he allowed one run on four hits with three strikeouts and a walk. From there, the bullpen did its job, even though Trevor Megill endured a shaky ninth and allowed the Rays to put their second run on the board. After getting Yandy Díaz to ground out, Megill allowed back-to-back singles to Jonathan Aranda and Chandler Simpson, then a double steal and a walk to Junior Caminero loaded the bases. Liam Hicks seemingly grounded into a game-ending double play, but the call at second was overturned and the Rays' second run of the game crossed home plate. Megill escaped by striking out Jonny DeLuca and that was the end of the game.
The win puts the Brewers in a strong historical position. Across all of MLB postseason history, the winner of Game 1 of a best-of-seven series has gone on to win that series 64.5% of the time. Those teams that won Game 1 at home, as the Brewers did on Friday, have gone on to win their best-of-seven playoff series 68.4% of the time.
Now let's have a look at some winners and losers from Game 1.
Milwaukee's All-Star catcher and warrior-poet did it all in Game 1. At the plate, he went 2 for 3 with a walk and an RBI. He also remained adept at making ABS challenges, as Contreras flipped two called balls into strikes for his pitchers on Friday. Perhaps most impressive is the work he did with his arm. There was this in the fifth inning:
And then there was this in the very next inning:
That put him in exclusive company among those behind the mask:
On top of all this, Contreras made multiple blocks of breaking pitches in the dirt as the closer Megill struggled with his command in the ninth. Without those blocks, the Rays may well have tied it up.
The 28-year-old Contreras has been a Brewers linchpin for years, and this postseason he's been one of their most productive bats. He continued moving the needle for them in a big way during Game 1.
Martinez, the somewhat surprising starter for the Rays in Game 1, certainly didn't pitch badly overall. However, he did allow some hard contact at untimely moments in that bottom of the first. Specifically, he allowed that 103.1 mph triple by Yelich that plated the first run of the game, and then Contreras smacked a 108.4 mph single to score Yelich for that critical second run of the game. Overall, Martinez worked five innings with five strikeouts and no walks. In a certain sense, he was better than Misiorowski at an underlying level, but the poorly timed hard contact in that opening frame spoiled what was otherwise a strong effort from the 36-year-old veteran.
"Nick didn't let the two runs early on factor into anything else once he went out for the second inning," Rays manager Kevin Cash said after the game. "Certainly gave us every opportunity, kept it right there. Really impressed and proud of the way Nick went about it."
Brewers relievers came into Game 1 with a 1.33 ERA in 40 ⅔ postseason innings this year. Over that span, they'd allowed just 22 hits. Then in Game 1, three relievers – Abner Uribe, Aaron Ashby, and Megill – allowed one run in four combined innings of work. They struck out six and walked one. Megill plainly did not have his best stuff in that fraught and taut bottom of the ninth, but otherwise the bullpen did its job and then some. Ashby remains a playoff savior for the Brewers this year, as he turned in another two scoreless innings on Friday.
The Rays' "big three" of Caminero, Díaz and Aranda carried the offense for much of the year. The bottom of the order, though, remained a problem, and that was once again the case in Game 1. In total, the Rays' five through nine hitters, including a pinch-hitter, on Friday went 1 for 17 with a single and six strikeouts. Given the depth and excellence of the Brewers' bullpen, the Rays will need more from their back half during the series.
Next up is Game 2 on Saturday night. First pitch will be shortly after 8:00 p.m. ET back in Milwaukee.
Brewers 3, Rays 2. Jonny DeLuca struck out after instant replay gave the Rays new life. The Brewers take Game 1 and are three wins away from the first World Series title in franchise history.
Weird situation. Everyone on both sides thought the game was over, and now they have to lock back in and compete.
Replay showed Cooper Pratt's foot came off the bag at second base, so it's not a double play. The Brewers only get the out at first base. A run scores to make it 3-2 Brewers, and the Rays have runners at second and third with two outs. Jonny DeLuca vs. Trevor Megill now.
Cooper Pratt did not hold the bag at second on the turn, so the game continues with the Rays down 3-2 and the tying run at third.
The Brewers are three wins away from the first World Series title in franchise history. Milwaukee scored two runs in the first inning of Game 1 thanks to two hard-hit balls that clanked off the glove of Rays defenders. Jacob Misiorowski was dominant early and wobbly in the middle innings. Closer Trevor Megill loaded the bases with one out in the ninth, then escaped with a 4-6-3 double play.
Game 2 is Saturday night at American Family Field. The Brewers will start righty Logan Henderson. The Rays will counter with ace Drew Rasmussen. Leaving Wisconsin with a two-game split in Games 1 and 2 would have been a good outcome for the Rays before Game 1, and that outcome remains in play. They just have to win Saturday.
Hooo boy. Liam Hicks is coming to the plate against Trevor Megill with the bases loaded and one out. The Brewers are clinging to a 3-1 lead.
The Rays pull off a double steal. The tying run is at second.
Chandler Simpson singles and the Rays have two runners on base for Junior Caminero. Keep in mind, Simpson at first as the tying run is blazing fast, too.
This was huge because, barring a double play, this means Junior Caminero will be at least the tying run.
Big Trevor Megill is coming out of the left-field bullpen to the tune of Metallica's The Four Horseman.
The Brewers were unable to push across a run after putting the first two runners on base in the bottom of the eighth. Close Trevor Megill entering with a 3-1 lead.
The Rays are on their fifth pitcher in the eighth inning despite having only allowed three runs. It is Cole Sulser coming in with runners on first and third and two out. The Brewers lead, 3-1.
William Contreras singled and Brice Turang has walked, so the Brewers have two on and no out.
It is 3-1 Brewers in the middle of the eighth inning and Trevor Megill is ready in the bullpen. They could also leave Aaron Ashby in.
They'll have at least a two-run lead going into the ninth inning. Historically, the team that wins Game 1 of a best-of-seven has gone on to win the series 65% of the time. The series would be far from over, of course, but Milwaukee would be in the driver's seat.
With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, young superstar Jackson Chourio singles down the first-base line to plate a run. The Brewers have grabbed a 3-1 lead here with their stellar bullpen in control.
Remember, Chourio led off the bottom of the first with a single and scored the game's first run.
It's a lefty-lefty matchup with the power-hitting catcher facing one of the best relievers in baseball. Interestingly, they faced each other in college. Hicks said yesterday Ashby was the best pitcher he saw in college.
With one out in the seventh, the Brewers are turning to lefty relief ace Aaron Ashby. He's been one of the best players -- not just relief pitchers -- in the entire playoffs so far.
It's still 2-1 Brewers, and the hosts have a 73.4% chance of winning Game 1.
Uribe comes back out for the seventh with Junior Caminero leading off. The hunch here is Aaron Ashby takes over after Caminero hits.
The game has been going for less than two hours. Good work as always, pitch clock.
Lefty relief is an issue for the Rays. Garrett Cleavinger is on the World Series roster after missing the last month with a forearm issue. Kevin Cash keeps trying to force things with Ian Seymour. Cam Booser is his only reliable lefty reliever.
The Brewers have two on for Garrett Mitchell. It's another lefty, so Kevin Cash will stay with Matz.
Chandler Simpson has struck out twice tonight. He had one strikeout total in the ALDS and ALCS. Jonathan Aranda got thrown out trying to steal second to end the sixth inning, though I get sending him in a 3-2 count with Simpson batting. Odds are he would put the ball in play. Just didn't work out.
William Contreras been an elite ABS challenger during this postseason. That's of course in addition to everything else the Milwaukee catcher does well.
The Brewers are bringing in Abner Uribe. I'll presume he gets the sixth, Aaron Ashby gets the seventh and eighth and Trevor Megill gets the ninth. That is, of course, assuming nothing changes, but things often change.
The final line for Miz: 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 3 K. A fine outing even if not a dominant or even great one.
If things continue on this path, though, you've gotta say Miz gave the Brewers everything they could've asked for. After all these days off, they were likely planning on four innings from Uribe, Ashby and Megill. And this plan would save the likes of DL Hall and JoJo Romero.
Victor Mesa Jr., already in scoring position at second base with two outs and Yandy Díaz at the plate, tried to steal third. William Contreras threw him out to end the inning. The Brewers lead 2-1, mid-5th and Miz is now officially qualified for the win.
Two outs, tying run on second. Yandy Díaz to bat. He's hit it hard twice off Miz.
