World Series Game 2: Rasmussen Faces Henderson With Milwaukee Up 1-0

By
Harris
-
22

Key Points

  • The Milwaukee Brewers beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 in World Series Game 1 on Friday night and lead the best-of-seven series 1-0.
  • An apparent game-ending double play in the ninth was overturned on replay before closer Trevor Megill struck out Jonny DeLuca with two runners in scoring position.
  • Jacob Misiorowski opened the game with a 103.5 mph pitch, which the Associated Press called the fastest ever thrown in a World Series, and earned the win.
  • Game 2 is Saturday, Oct. 24, at 8 p.m. ET on FOX in Milwaukee (5 a.m. PKT Sunday), with Drew Rasmussen facing Brewers rookie Logan Henderson.
  • Games 3, 4 and, if needed, 5 move to Tropicana Field in Florida starting Monday, Oct. 26.

World Series Game 2 arrives Saturday night after a Game 1 finish in which the fireworks went off before the final out was actually recorded.

Milwaukee’s 3-2 win on Friday at American Family Field was the franchise’s first World Series victory since 1982. Game 2 starts at 8 p.m. ET Saturday on FOX, which is 5 a.m. PKT Sunday in Pakistan.

What happened

The Brewers jumped on Rays starter Nick Martinez in the first inning. Jackson Chourio singled on Martinez’s first pitch, Christian Yelich drove him in with a triple to center, and William Contreras followed with an RBI single for a 2-0 lead.

Yelich became the seventh player to triple in his first World Series plate appearance and the first since Kansas City’s Lynn Jones in 1985, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, as cited by the AP.

Tampa Bay cut the gap in the fourth. Jonathan Aranda walked, Junior Caminero doubled at 112.7 mph off the bat, and Aranda scored on a groundout by Liam Hicks. In the seventh, Cooper Pratt walked against Steven Matz and scored on Chourio’s two-out single off Kevin Kelly to make it 3-1.

The ninth inning

Megill allowed one-out singles to Aranda and Chandler Simpson. A double steal by pinch-runner Jorge Mateo and Simpson put both runners in scoring position, and Caminero walked on a 3-2 pitch to load the bases.

Hicks then grounded to second baseman Brice Turang, who threw to Pratt at second. Pratt’s relay beat Hicks to first, and the celebration began. The Rays challenged the force at second, and replay showed Pratt’s right foot had come off the bag as he took Turang’s high throw. Hicks was still out at first, but a run scored and the lead shrank to 3-2 with runners on second and third.

FOX Sports rules analyst Andy Fletcher said on the broadcast that the call was overturned correctly. “When the ball touched the interior of the thrower’s glove, his foot was already off the bag,” he said. Megill then struck out DeLuca swinging to end it, as described in MLB.com’s account of the overturned double play.

On the mound

Misiorowski allowed one run on four hits over five innings and threw 78 pitches, with a season-low three strikeouts. His first pitch, a 103.5 mph fastball to Yandy Díaz, was the fastest pitch ever delivered in a World Series, according to the AP. Abner Uribe and Aaron Ashby followed with three scoreless innings, and Contreras threw out two runners trying to steal. Martinez took the loss.

Latest development

MLB.com lists Rasmussen and Henderson as the Game 2 starters. As of Saturday morning ET, neither starting lineup had been posted.

How to watch World Series Game 2

  • Matchup: Tampa Bay Rays at Milwaukee Brewers (Milwaukee leads 1-0)
  • Date and time: Saturday, Oct. 24, 8 p.m. ET (5 a.m. PKT Sunday, Oct. 25)
  • Venue: American Family Field, Milwaukee
  • TV: FOX and FOX Deportes
  • Streaming: FOX One

Rasmussen faces his former team

Tampa Bay drafted him 31st overall in 2017 but could not sign him because of an elbow issue. Milwaukee took him in the sixth round in 2018, and he debuted with the Brewers before a May 2021 trade sent him to the Rays, according to MLB.com.

“It’s a really unique, really cool matchup. I’m excited for this one,” Rasmussen said Friday.

Tampa Bay started Martinez in Game 1 to give Rasmussen five days’ rest. He threw 172 innings over 30 regular-season starts and has allowed three runs in 21 postseason innings, per MLB.com’s Game 2 storylines.

Henderson, a rookie, has allowed three earned runs in nine innings across two postseason starts, both Brewers wins. According to MLB.com, his start will make it eight of the past nine seasons in which a rookie has started a World Series game.

Why it matters

This is the first World Series since 1980 between two franchises without a title,. The Brewers (103-59) and Rays (98-64) were the No. 1 seeds in their leagues.

Milwaukee got here by sweeping the Dodgers, a run we covered when the Brewers won their first pennant since 1982. Tampa Bay beat Cleveland, as covered in our story on the Rays’ AL pennant clincher. For the pregame setup, see our Game 1 preview.

What happens next

After Game 2, the Series moves to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, for Game 3 on Monday, Oct. 26, and Game 4 on Tuesday, Oct. 27. Game 5, if needed, is Wednesday, Oct. 28. Games 6 and 7, if needed, return to Milwaukee on Friday, Oct. 30, and Saturday, Oct. 31.

All games start at 8 p.m. ET on FOX (5 a.m. PKT the next day). MLB.com lists Freddy Peralta as Tampa Bay’s probable Game 3 starter.

Related live coverage

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Sources