MILWAUKEE -- The way the Rays set up their rotation for the World Series was not just about winning Game 1. It was a three-game gambit, designed to put them in the best possible spot to win every night. It put their veteran leader on the mound in the series opener, their well-rested ace in Game 2 and their Trade Deadline dynamo in his comfort zone for Game 3.
But all the Rays’ best-laid pitching plans won’t matter much if they can’t support their starters with more offense than they managed to scrape together in their 3-2 loss to the Brewers on Friday night at American Family Field.
Nick Martinez held up his end of the bargain against the National League champion Brewers, allowing only two runs over five innings, but the Rays’ first Fall Classic contest since dropping Game 6 of the 2020 World Series to the Dodgers was a reminder that Milwaukee’s pitching staff will not give them much margin for error.
And it’s not like Tampa Bay’s lineup was totally shut down by Jacob Misiorowski and Milwaukee’s bullpen. The Rays picked up seven hits, walked twice and had the tying run at third base with two outs in the ninth inning.
“This is an extremely confident group,” manager Kevin Cash said. “They’re going to be fine. I think the frustration comes from, we were one swing of the bat away right at the end of potentially taking the lead. We came up a little bit short.”
The frustration also stems from the fact that the Rays are built to win games like this. They did it all year. They entered Game 1 79-12 when allowing three runs or fewer: an MLB-best 72-11 in the regular season and 7-1 in the postseason. But it wasn’t enough on Friday night.
The Rays had chances, but they went hitless in six at-bats with runners in scoring position. They just couldn’t finish most of the rallies they started, and they were sorely missing the big hit that would have turned a one-run defeat into a one-run victory.
“We had traffic on the bases pretty much all night,” shortstop Taylor Walls said. “But [we] weren't able to get that big hit, that timely hit, the double with a runner on first or a single with runners in scoring position. Hopefully we can turn that around, find some chances like that tomorrow and capitalize.”
That is the key to avoid falling behind, 2-0, to a Brewers team that might have forgotten how to lose.
The Rays’ run prevention was not their biggest issue in Game 1. They held the Brewers to three runs, with Martinez shutting them down after a two-run first and the front end of the bullpen permitting just one run the rest of the way.
“Nick didn't let the two runs early on factor into anything else once he went out for the second inning,” Cash said. “Certainly gave us every opportunity, kept it right there. Really impressed and proud of the way Nick went about it.”
They had runners on first and second with just one out in the first inning against hard-throwing Misiorowski, but Junior Caminero lined into an inning-ending double play. They had runners on second and third with one out in the fourth, but the only run they scored came on a groundout by Liam Hicks.
They had a runner on second with two outs and Yandy Díaz at the plate in the fifth, but Victor Mesa Jr. ran into an out by trying to steal third in Misiorowski’s final inning. Mesa acknowledged that the quality of the Brewers’ pitching, and knowing how close this series is bound to be, may have factored into his admittedly over-aggressive baserunning.
Cash called it a “small win” to end Misiorowski’s night after five innings, but there was no relief coming from Milwaukee’s bullpen. Abner Uribe and Aaron Ashby combined to allow just one hit while striking out five over three innings.
“I feel like there were times where we had our chances to get things done, and we weren’t able to do that,” left fielder Chandler Simpson said. “We’ll just learn from it.”
In the ninth, they loaded the bases with one out thanks to a double steal by Simpson and Jorge Mateo followed by a Caminero walk. But the only run they scored came in unusual fashion, as what looked like an inning-ending double play was reversed by a replay review to become a run-scoring groundout that left runners on second and third with two outs.
But Jonny DeLuca went down swinging against Trevor Megill, and the Rays’ final opportunity of the night slipped away.
The good news? They have ace Drew Rasmussen rested for Game 2, ALCS MVP Freddy Peralta reserved for Game 3 and a lineup ready to bounce back on Saturday night.
“We all believe in one another, especially after the game tonight, how close it was,” Walls said. “Our bullpen's going to keep games close. Our starting pitching is going to be great. I feel like offensively we had a great game plan tonight. We executed it. It just didn't fall our way.”