Rays vs. Brewers World Series Game 1 Highlights (10/23/26) | MLB Highlights

And so it all comes down to this. Baseball's marathon turns into a best of seven. It's game one of the World Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Milwaukee Brewers. For just the second time in the last 100 years, we've got a World Series between two teams looking for their first title. This should be a great, great matchup. Each team won the most games in their respective leagues. For the Brewers, 103-59. For the Rays, 97-65. And for game one, Jacob Mizorowski might be the hardest thrower the game has ever seen. No doubt, and the most pressure on any young man I've ever seen because he dominated the regular season. He's going to win the Cy Young unanimously, but he hasn't been quite himself in the postseason. He's got a chance to totally redeem that with the eight, nine days off. Diaz stands in, and off we go with a fastball at 103 way upstairs. 103-mile-an-hour fastball in the series. Coming in hot, coming in high. No doubt, Yandy Diaz, open stance, right side, the pick. In the air to right field, Friedich goes back on it, onto the warning track, and in front of the wall, he's got just enough room. One up and one down from Jacob Mizorowski. Jonathan Aranda, the first baseman for Tampa Bay. Aranda turns this one around and a base hit to right field. Triple digits, fastball, but that simple swing of Jonathan Aranda gives Tampa Bay its first base runner. And Aranda's got this series' first base hit. Here's a contact hit here to now, Chandler Simpson. Mizorowski tries again. His first non-fastball is slapped by the bag and down the line, a fair ball. Chandler Simpson doing what he does. One of the shortest, simplest swings in baseball. Pokes it down the line, and the Rays are in business in the first. So here's an early, early chance for the Rays. First and second, only one out. And here's the matchup that everybody has been discussing, Junior Caminero. Miz, the fastest pitcher on the planet, and Junior Caminero, the fastest bat on the planet. Superpower against superpower. Ground ball instead of line drive. Caught by Hamilton. Throw at the traditional ground ball. Double play, but a double play nonetheless. Hamilton made the catch on the fly. Got it to Terang at second base. And Mizorowski puts up a zero. Making his first start in the World Series on the mound is Nick Martinez. And so the ace Rasmussen is going to pitch tomorrow on extra rest like he has for a lot of the season. Instead, it's the 36-year-old heart and soul to this Rays squad. Here come the Brewers, bottom of the first inning. Jackson Churio to lead things off. And it's Jackson Chourio slapping his first pitch for a base hit to right. He is one of the best strike throwers in baseball. Milwaukee normally really patient. You wonder about that tonight. No, I thought this would be a very aggressive lineup early. Their best chance for contact. Bauer had a 12-pitch at-bat during the championship series that ended in a walk against the Dodgers and then did better in game four, or rather game three, with an 11-pitch walk before he hit a homer. The 2-2 from Martinez. Chourio runs on a sky-high fly ball to shallow right field. On comes Victor Mesa, Jr., the call and the catch for the first out. Now here's the guy who's carried this franchise for a long time. Not his best year, but you know in the postseason that .292 average, you can make a regular season disappear with a great postseason. Yelich slips it in the air right center field, headed for the gap. Being tried, but he can't get it. Off the glove of DeLuca. Christian Yelich has knocked in the first run of Game 1 of the World Series. Jackson Churio scores all the way from first, and it's the captain striking first. What an incredible effort right here. Fought for a second, that closing speed, he was going to get it. But a huge triple, and the right guy up for the Brewers to get that second run in with the infield drawn in. The infield comes up for Tampa Bay. First pitch to Contreras. Lined. Ball's drawn in. That ball was on him in a blink. Would have been a remarkable catch, but Contreras has kept his red-hot October going. So three of those that he faced, Nick Martinez hit the ball. Nick Martinez, his first game as a Ray, came here in Milwaukee on April the 1st. Or pardon me, on March the 30th. He went six innings and allowed two runs. Got a chase and strike three on that butterfly of a changeup. First strikeout for Martinez. As Garrett Mitchell hasn't had a lot of hits this postseason, just six of them, but when he has had his hits, they've been big ones. Two home runs, he's tripled, he's driven in three. Swung on and missed strike three. Martinez finally got him, and it was with a changeup elevated just a touch. The Brewers, though, scored two runs on three hits. Jacob Mizorowski's got a 2-0 lead to work with in the top of the second inning. Liam Hicks. Hicks grounds this one past the mound to second. Bryce Turang for the first out. So Hicks is gone in short order, and up comes Johnny DeLuca. DeLuca hits a fly ball into right center. Over is Garrett Mitchell calling for it, and puts it away. I tell you, Mizorowski could use a shutdown inning and a quick one at that. He only threw 13 pitches in that first inning. But to get Nick Martinez back on that mound so quickly would be huge for the Brewers' offense. Victor Mesa, Jr., a rookie, checks in with a raise in inning number two. A shutdown inning for Miz. We go to the bottom of the second. Nick Martinez signed with the Rays February 10th. That was 43 days before opening day. That's the second latest of free agent signing before game one of a World Series starting pitcher of all time. It was a late sign, but starting game one of the World Series, one of the great signs the Rays have ever made. These Brewers are attacking early. The first inning began with a Jackson Chourio base hit to right. Sal Frelick, base is empty one way. And scrounges one through the right side, and there he goes. Frelick is aboard. He doesn't hit it hard, but he hits it often. And then he gets on base, and he's a menace. He's going to second base at some point in this, maybe the very first pitch. He had more bunt hits than anybody in baseball this year. And, yeah, he's going to drag it right side. Martinez fields it and throws the first to get him. Into scoring position goes Frelick. And, look, I mean, it's a sacrifice bunt. Worst-case scenario, you move a guy into scoring position for Jackson Chourio. Best case, you add to your major league leading total and bunt hits. You've got to be careful on this first pitch. This is the one thing about runners in scoring position. These were the two best teams in baseball, so they know how to hit when there's ducks on the pond. There goes Freelick for third on a swing and a miss. Throw down, not in time, and a stolen base. So the first of what promises to be many from both sides in this World Series. Swing and a miss, he struck him out. Martinez fans him with a fastball at 95, and the Brewers don't get anything. Jacob Misiorowski gets ready to work in his third inning. He's got a 2-0 lead. Then Williamson will lead things off for the Rays. Full count offering on the ground at first. Routine play for Jake Bowers and the first out of the third. The leadoff man retired here in the third inning, and now Rays will complete their first trip through the order. Here is Taylor Walls. There's his second K. The cutter to get Walls. Starting to see him mix in the rest of the arsenal. Yeah, and again, that wasn't a great cutter, but it was enough movement and fooling the hitter to say that's going to be a ball up, and then it comes over the plate and gets a high strike. That's a tip-your-cap kind of pitch. He's going to locate that. You just move forward. Two out bases empty, 2-0 Milwaukee, and now back to the top of the order. Stroke to second and caught by Terang, and that's severed in a row, retired by Jacob Mizorowski. Jake Bowers starts it off against the rocking Nick Martinez. Brewers, while they're known for being a contact-oriented team, they do have some guys that do strike out a lot. Jake Bowers strikes out a lot, and Yellich does. But they still tend to work good at bats. Swung on to miss strike three. Changeup takes care of Bowers. It's his fourth strikeout. There's one away for Christian Yellich. Martinez threw a lot of pitches in the first inning. He had a very efficient second inning. Just threw 11 pitches in the second. Then an eighth pitch. Down on a high fastball. Martinez already with his fifth K. Guy with the lowest strikeout rate in baseball, racking him up here. You don't have the year he had without the ability to see what the hitters are doing and make the necessary adjustments, and he has done a fine job after that rattling first inning, and he doesn't seem unnerved at all. And the pitch popped him up. Back of first, shallow right, Williamson out. Here comes Mesa, who's calling for it. Makes the catch to his left to retire to side. So Nick Martinez has his best inning. Let's see if the Rays can find a way to figure out the Miz here in the fourth. Jonathan Aranda, Chandler Simpson, both had hits against them. 3-1 on Aranda. Here comes Mizorowski, and that's a leadoff walk. Jonathan Aranda's been on both times. And that will end the string of seven consecutive batters retired from Mizorowski. That's also his first walk, and the Rays quickly will get the tying run to the plate here in the fourth inning. Trying to put away Simpson, so hard to do. This time he's able to. Wasn't a great pitch, though. Curveball floated away and got a rare chase. Now you get the fastest arm in the game and the fastest bat in the game. squaring off for a second time let's see if junior can win this battle after a first time line out into a double play line drive center field mitchell retreats and it takes off on him it carries all the way to the wall aranda stopped at third and coming arrows into second with a double not as good as both of these defenses have been throughout the year tampa bay excellent in october the brewers have committed eight errors in eight games this month not that that's an error but a play that Mitchell would tell you he should have made. One of those tough balls to judge because it was hit really hard right at him on a line. 1-13 off the bat, and so now a little trouble to navigate here for Mizorowski. Second and third and one away. Now the Rays are one hit away, perhaps from tying the game now. Hicks on 1-1. Chops it right side. This will get home their first run. Toss to first in time. It's a 2-1 game. Liam Hicks brings in Aranda with an infield bouncer, and Tampa Bay's on the board. So now the leadoff walk is scored. the tying run 90 feet away. She is a fly ball, left field, playable for Churrio. Back into his left, about five steps shy of the warning card. Reaches up and makes the catch, and the inning is over. Miz limits the damage in the fourth. The Rays get on the board. If Martinez could throw a zero on the board here in the fourth, it would really feel like the Rays have quite a shot. Certainly would. I think it's a very important half inning for Nick and the Rays as he deals with the dangerous Bryce Harper. Skies has won the other way. Deep to left center field. carrying to the wall. Simpsons there. We saw Terang in the first game of the championship series. Homer in that direction against Terrence Scoble and he almost did the same to Martinez. He's had success. That ball just got in on him enough. It's got to be careful on that side of the plate against Terang. One gone in this fourth inning. Up comes Garrett Mitchell. One bounce at a second for Ben Williamson. Two away in the fourth. And after a rocky first inning he's settled in. So here's Cooper Pratt. He just missed a home run in his first at-bat back in the second inning. Swing and a ground ball to first, backhanded nicely by Aranda. He'll wave off Martinez, touch up and get Pratt, and that's a 1-2-3 inning that Nick Martinez and the Rays needed. It'll be the bottom third, Mesa Jr., Williamson, and Walls against Mizorowski in the fifth. Working with that one-run lead is Jacob. Swing and a line drive and a right, sinking quickly. It drops, base hit, and Victor Mesa Jr., his first hit in the World Series, and he's a leadoff base runner for the Rays for a second consecutive inning. And now we start to see if the stretching leads to throwing in the Brewer bullpen. I wonder if they'll let him see Andy Diaz a third time. Ben Williams hit a ground out to first his first turn, weighing in righty on righty. Bounce down to third, stabbed by Hamilton, only play is at first, and a pick by Bowers. What a play by Jake Bowers, stepping into the runner's path and backhanding that. That's an incredible pick. I mean, the damage that could be done here is a lot physically, and it could open up a huge inning if he doesn't make this play. When you step in that direction, that was a fantastic scoop. Tyron does move into scoring position. Ray is the best team in baseball with runners in scoring position this year. The nine-hitter Taylor Walls. Diaz waits on deck. Popped up. Into foul ground goes David Hamilton. Two gone in the fifth. And now it's going to be Yandy Diaz, one of the best hitters in the American League, facing Mizorowski for a third time tonight. It may very well be the final batter that Mizorowski faces tonight. Runner takes off. It was elevated. Throw to third. Contreras says. What was Victor Mesa Jr. thinking there? He took the bat out of Yandy's hand. William Contreras just gunned him down with a foot to the third base. And Mizorowski is through five. First time this postseason. But how about Nick Martinez, John, after that first inning where right away it was easy to say, man, did the Rays overthink this in starting him? after three of the first four get hits just one base runner since that is 12 of the last 13 retired by Martinez, Hamilton down the line with his speed, Mesa digs it out, Hamilton taking three stumbles as he rounds the throw, Mesa at one starting that relay, Hamilton didn't have a clean turnaround second and it cost him, talked about the little things that are going to separate this world series, that right there, that misstep and that stumble cost him an inch or two from being safe perfect form, perfect relay, but not a perfect route to third base and that is the difference, this series will be filled with stuff like this and that erases a big threat and it probably keeps Martinez in the game, so Chourio one for two, uh first pitch single in the first inning, two strike to Chourio. Soft bouncing ball to a charge in, rolls it short. That's the inning. And Martinez puts up an important zero with help from Mesa, Williamson, and Caminero in the 9-4-5 relay. Sixth inning, game one of the World Series. And the Brewers will go to the bullpen. Abner Uribe, the first man out of the pen for Pat Murphy. Five innings of one run ball from Jacob Mizorowski through 78 pitches. Struck out three and allowed four base hits. And it's the top of the order coming up for the Rays. And on two pitches, there's one gone. Jonathan Aranda has not been retired for Tampa Bay. Aranda grounds one through the right side, and he's been on base all three times in game one. It's now the tying run aboard with one gone in the sixth, and up comes Chandler Simpson. On three and two delivers. A check swing, he went around, throw to second base with Aranda going. The sixth inning. Simpson couldn't check his swing. It would have been ball four. Instead of two aboard for Caminero, the inning comes to an end. A strike him out, throw him out, double play. A bit of a surprise here. This is Steven Matz. He's only pitched in one game in the playoffs after he had a 5.5 ERA during the regular season. There was two scoreless innings in his one game. Deployed here against 2, 3, and 4 in the Milwaukee lineup. The Rays are amazing at finding slots and lanes where you don't think exist. Big moment here. Fowler grounds one towards the middle. Backhand by Williamson. Throws in time for the first out of the six. Brewers with just one hit since the second inning. And that was the double by Hamilton and was erased on a good relay throw by Williamson at second base. The ball hit in the corner. You do not want to hit the ball to the shortstop for the Rays. He's sweet. He is unbelievable, and his defense is going to be on display for everyone to see in this World Series. It's a four-pitch walk. Matz had no intention on giving him anything good to hit there. And a two-out baserunner for Milwaukee. Bryce Turang is the hitter against Steven Matz. Ball four. Back-to-back two-out walks. this is you know there's subtle differences between these teams who kind of lump them together say look in the mirror and that they put the pressure on the subtle differences that Milwaukee way more patient and led the majors in walks this year so it's Garrett Mitchell against the left-hander Stephen Matz. Now Mitchell hit home runs against left-handers in the Dodgers series and back-to-back games game three and game four out in LA, his home run in game four As a ground ball weakly hits towards second, fielded by Williamson, he sets and throws and Stephen Matz does his job and keeps the Rays within a run here in game one of the World Series. Tight, intense ball game. 2-1 Milwaukee to the top of the seventh we go. Abner Ribeiro stays in with the right-handed batting Junior Caminero up to lead things off. We've got two lefties out of the next three and Ashby's ready. Brewers have not given up an earned run for the 7th inning on in these playoffs Whoa, whoa, man, he got away with it on who did he ever that one was on a tee and he just Swung underneath it, takes care of Caminero and now Ashby will come in to face the left-handed hitting Liam hits here. He is Aaron Ashby the most valuable pitcher of these playoffs. He has appeared in eight games He's not allowed to run Well, there's the curveball you were talking about. It starts hip high, and it ends up down almost in the bottom of the shin guards for the catcher, and it's just great angle and great spin. There are two away, and now he deals with Johnny DeLuca. And a pop-up into right. This is playable for Freeland. Charging, calling off Terang, squeezing the baseball as it falls out of the sky and into his glove. It's a 1-2-3 here in the seventh, and we've reached stretch time. Stephen Matz, a bit of a surprise that he's even in the game, is in there for his second inning. as Kevin Cash tries to steal three more outs against the bottom of the lineup here. And here's Pratt. He's lined it deep left and grounded out to first. He's got a leadoff walk. For the last time, got a leadoff man on. They scored two runs. They have not gotten a leadoff man on again until this point here in the seventh inning. Now that gives Freelick the opportunity to bunt. Wouldn't be a shock to see him pull it back and swing, which he does right here to left center field. Simpson is there to make the catch. Back to first goes Pratt. Good punter, but a good bat-to-ball guy as well. Well, today's a guy you've got to be wary of. Yeah. Bunting and Hamilton. Grounds one up the middle with his speed. It'll be close. Walls throw is just in time. Two out. Pratt in the scoring position. Here's Kevin Cash. He'll go to the mound, take the ball away from Matz. And the Rays will summon Kevin Kelly to try to keep this game a 2-1 Brewers. Kelly for Turang. Pokes one down. Lucky. Jackson Turang delivers again. Some huge insurance here in the 7th. It is 3-0. Turang's second hit of the night. It's an RBI single into right. Inside the first base bag and just past the outstretched diving glove of Aranda. And the Brewers lead it 3-1. That is a run that started with a leadoff walk for the number 7 hitter in the order. And here's Jake Bowers. Bowers down the left field line. That's a fair ball. Simpson picks it up. Turang to third. Bowers stops with a long single. Just dropped it in there. They're going to probably want to look at this as this ball was hit down the line. And you get the extra umpire that's got one responsibility, and he's to look to see if that hits the line. This is going to be as close as it comes. Oh, man, he's right on it, Dan Bellino. After review, the call is confirmed. Dan said, you're going to challenge me. I was point blank. It's just like the ABS, just got to touch the line. As Snyder is talking things over with Kelly Yelich standing at the plate, hoping for another big moment. He's already provided one tonight. But on the year against right-handed pitching, he has fared well against the two-seam fastball. Grounded to first, taken cleanly by Aranda on an in-between hop, and he'll go to the bag to retire the side. But a lead-off walk comes back to burn the Rays 3-1 Milwaukee. The Brewers had another big run in the bottom of the seventh inning. They lead it 3-1. Aaron Ashby back out there on the mound. Got him. Ninety sinker was off of the plate in, but he got a chase. One gone in the eighth. That's what happens when it looks like it's going to be a strike. You have very little time to determine if it's going to be a ball when it's close. He tried to get to it, and it ate him up inside. Here's Ben Williamson. Struck him out. Back to that change and back-to-back Ks to open the eighth for Ashby. Swing and a miss and a change-up off the plate away. Two away, a back-to-back K from Aaron Ashby. Ryan Valladares will be the hitter for Walls here with two out in the eighth. Valladares a bouncer to short, two hops for Pratt. He's got it, throws to first. The top of the eighth inning is over. Different series, same story, Aaron Ashby. As Kevin Kelly stays in, he faces William Contreras. Digs it out, leads off the eighth with a base hit. That pitch was a foot off of the ground, off of the ground and Contreras found a way to get the barrel to it. The new pitcher for Tampa Bay the lefty Garrett Plageman makes his postseason debut this year with Tampa Bay has not pitched in a game since the fourth of September. That was against the Texas Rangers. He'll face Bryce. Ball four, first and second, nobody out, bunting situation potentially for Mitchell bunted in the air caught by Caminero, you see this bunt just a little bit too firm but that could have been an interesting double play turn right there. The runner wasn't running. Pratt chopper hit towards third Caminero has it, goes to second, one on, the first out is the call over first base. I think Pat Murphy is going to challenge this one. Nick Lentz over at first did not look very convicted in his out call and the Brewers will challenge this play, throw skipped in the dirt and Pratt was safe by plenty. Ball is just skipping in the dirt as Pratt's foot was touching the first base bag, so this one will get overturned, I would think, first base it's overturned the runner is safe, gonna have a pinch hitter right here instead of Freilich, yes, Gary Sanchez is still doing it, he's gonna make a change to a right, Cole Sulser's ready and so counter to the counter, right he's gonna come on for Sanchez, big chopper towards the hole, it's short, Caminero plugs it up from third and goes the short way to second, Belair's got the force play on Pratt to retire this side A little bending by the Rays, but three pitchers combined to get the three outs. Fasten those seatbelts to the ninth inning of game one. Trevor McGill with four postseason saves. Looking to lock down game one of the World Series. Faces Yandy Diaz to open up the ninth. Hit to third. Ortiz just in the game. Has it. Throws to first in time. Murphy's Law, right? You bring a guy in, immediately he gets checked on. Here's Aranda. He's been on base all three times. Line drive, left center field. That is down for a base hit. Boy, what a World Series debut for Jonathan Aranda. He singles to left. He's on base all four times. And now the Rays will get the tying run to the plate. And while the man coming up you don't expect for power, it's Chandler's turn to fuel the inning. And you get Caminero up. Simpson lines one up the middle. That's a base hit into center field. And on 0-2 on a hurting leg, Simpson singles up the middle on a two-strike pitch. And here we go. Junior Caminero is coming up against McGill. The Rays will remove Aranda at second base and put in Jorge Mateo to pinch run. He takes in the dirt. Good stop by Contreras, but Tampa Bay has loaded the bases. So the bases are loaded with only one out of the nine. And game one of this World Series is turning into an incredible end one way or the other. Ground ball right side. Terrain gets there. The second one. Pratt to first. Rays are going to challenge. So the celebration will have to be paused here. And are they saying they want to challenge at second base? Oh, pardon me. The play at second base is going to be overruled. This is not a game-ending double play. Yeah, Pratt came off early. He's trying to get a jump on the play. Cooper Pratt came off second base. After review the call, second base is overturned. The runner is safe. So the Rays get a run on what turns into a ground out by Liam Hicks. Not a double play. Mateo scores. Simpson to third. Caminero to second. And DeLuca will bat here. Got him! Milwaukee wins game one again. They get to celebrate twice on a night they've waited 44 years for. So they think they get the 27th out, and they have to get it again as McGill strikes out DeLuca. And the Brewers in their first World Series since 1982, victorious in game one.