Brewers claim first title after Rays collapse in Game 5
Jacob Misiorowski threw five scoreless innings before a cramp ended his night, while Cooper Pratt set rookie records in the 4-1 win.
By Fiona Wallace ·
Tens of thousands of fans in the Brew-Crew section at Tropicana Field erupted as Milwaukee took the lead in the second inning, setting the stage for a 4-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday night. The win ended a five-game World Series and secured the first championship in franchise history.
Jacob Misiorowski anchored the pitching staff with five and two-thirds scoreless innings and two hits allowed. The 24-year-old right-hander recorded 58 strikes on 86 pitches, touching 103 mph on his fastball. He left the game early due to a right calf cramp and received a standing ovation from the crowd behind the dugout.
Cooper Pratt delivered a historic offensive performance, collecting six straight hits and two RBIs. He singled in the second inning to break the scoreless tie and later hit a sacrifice fly in the sixth to extend the lead. Pratt’s six-hit streak set a rookie record for the postseason.
The bullpen secured the win with JoJo Romero and Abner Uribe recording four combined outs. Closer Trevor Megill pitched the final two innings, allowing a two-run double to Chandler Simpson with two outs in the ninth. Megill retired Richie Palacios on a ground ball to end the game and was mobbed by teammates on the mound.
This title concludes the 58th season for a team that began as the Seattle Pilots in 1969. The 1982 team had fallen in the seventh game of the World Series after blowing a three-run lead. Manager Pat Murphy, who survived a heart attack in 2020, guided the squad to 11 postseason wins, including a sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS.
The Rays, an expansion team from 1998, now hold a 0-3 record in World Series appearances. Only the Brooklyn Dodgers and Detroit Tigers have worse all-time Series records. The contest occurred amid labor tensions, with a potential lockout scheduled for December 2. The Brewers led the majors with 103 regular season wins and relied on small-ball tactics, with both teams hitting a low number of home runs.
The series marked the first time since 1991 that two teams from the bottom half of the payroll rankings met in the final. Milwaukee finished 19th and Tampa Bay 25th in total spending. The Brewers became the fifth team in history to lose a World Series after being down 3-0.
Source: NBC Connecticut
