The Milwaukee Brewers are World Series champions for the first time. A 4-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday, Oct. 28, at Tropicana Field finished a five-game Series and gave a franchise founded in 1969 its first championship.
Jacob Misiorowski supplied 5 2/3 scoreless innings, Cooper Pratt drove in two runs, and William Contreras delivered an RBI double before collecting World Series MVP honors. Trevor Megill recorded the final six outs as Milwaukee completed a 4-1 series win.
A first for the Brewers, a return for Milwaukee
The Brewers' previous World Series appearance came in 1982, when they lost to St. Louis in seven games. Milwaukee had won a title with the Braves in 1957. This championship belongs to the franchise founded as the Seattle Pilots in 1969, which moved to Milwaukee in 1970.
Misiorowski leaves a lead the bullpen can protect
Misiorowski's final start ended with discomfort rather than a completed inning. With two outs in the sixth, a right calf cramp brought the trainer to the mound. He threw a warm-up pitch but couldn't continue.
He left with a 4-0 lead after allowing two hits and one walk. JoJo Romero took over and got the last out of the sixth.
Pratt and Contreras build the cushion
Pratt's second-inning RBI single gave Milwaukee the first run. He singled again in the fifth and scored on David Hamilton's single, extending the lead to 2-0.
Contreras doubled home Christian Yelich in the sixth. Pratt then brought Contreras home with a sacrifice fly for a 4-0 advantage.
The Rays finally scored with two outs in the ninth, when Chandler Simpson doubled home Liam Hicks. Manager Pat Murphy stayed with Megill, who got Richie Palacios to ground out and end the Series.
Contreras earns the MVP with his bat and glove
Contreras hit.381 in the Series with four RBIs. His clinching-game double supplied the third run, and he scored the fourth. Across the five games, he went 8-for-21 with two walks and a stolen base.
His work behind the plate also cut into Tampa Bay's running game. He threw out four attempted base stealers and became the eighth catcher to win or share World Series MVP. Salvador Perez, in 2015, had been the most recent.
A championship after 103 wins
Milwaukee's 103 regular-season wins were a franchise record.
The Brewers finished the postseason 11-2 after eliminating San Diego, sweeping Los Angeles and beating Tampa Bay.
