The Milwaukee Brewers captured their first World Series championship on Wednesday night, defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 to complete a four-games-to-one victory and end more than half a century of waiting for baseball’s biggest prize.
asserted
Brewers → capture → prize
Cooper Pratt drove in two runs and Jacob Misiorowski pitched five and two-thirds scoreless innings as Milwaukee put the finishing touches on a charmed season that began with championship ambitions and ended with the first title in the franchise’s 57-year history.
asserted
that → drive → history
Trevor Megill secured the final out when Richie Palacios grounded to second baseman Brice Turang, who threw to Jake Bauers to seal Milwaukee’s long-sought maiden title.
asserted
who → secure → title
“I know the city’s waited a long, long time for this and we’re so happy to bring it home to them,” Christian Yelich said.
asserted
Yelich → know → them
The Brewers, who arrived in Milwaukee in 1970 after one season as the Seattle Pilots, had reached the World Series only once before.
asserted
who → arrive → Series
Their seven-game defeat to the St Louis Cardinals in 1982 remained the closest they had come until this year, when a team blending young talent with October experience finally went one step further.
asserted
team → remain → experience
Milwaukee had been three outs from completing a sweep on Tuesday night in Game 4 before surrendering a 12th-inning lead.
asserted
Milwaukee → complete → lead
Given another opportunity on Wednesday, the Brewers built a four-run advantage behind Misiorowski, who allowed two hits and one walk while striking out two before departing following an injury delay in the sixth.
asserted
who → give → sixth
Tampa Bay’s best early opportunity came in the fourth, when Liam Hicks was hit by a pitch and Chandler Simpson singled, with Sal Frelick’s fielding error leaving runners at second and third with two outs.
asserted
error → come → outs
Misiorowski induced a groundout from Ben Williamson, whose pinch-hit single had won Game 4, to leave both runners stranded.
asserted
single → induce → runners
He then retired the Rays in order in the fifth.
asserted
He → retire → fifth
“I don’t even have words,” Misiorowski said.
asserted
Misiorowski → have → words
“I know they’re going crazy in Milwaukee.”
asserted
they → know → Milwaukee
Asked about the fans’ support, he added: “Damn it, I’m getting emotional.”
asserted
I → ask → it
Pratt, the rookie who had collected four hits in Tuesday’s defeat, again supplied an important part of Milwaukee’s offense.
asserted
who → collect → offense
Brice Turang doubled in the second inning and, after Frelick was hit by a pitch, scored on Pratt’s single to center.
asserted
Frelick → double → center
Pratt was caught trying to reach second, but the Brewers had the lead.
asserted
Brewers → catch → lead
Tampa Bay starter Drew Rasmussen, pitching on three days’ rest, kept the deficit at one through four innings before manager Kevin Cash turned to his bullpen.
asserted
Cash → pitch → bullpen
Milwaukee immediately added another run.
asserted
Milwaukee → add → run
Pratt singled off Kevin Kelly, Garrett Mitchell followed with another single and David Hamilton’s ground-ball single to right brought Pratt home for a 2-0 advantage.
asserted
single → single → advantage
The Brewers widened the gap in the sixth.
asserted
Brewers → widen → sixth
Christian Yelich was hit by a Garrett Cleavinger pitch and scored on William Contreras’s double to left.
asserted
Yelich → hit → left
Turang singled, then stole second after Tyler Wells entered.
asserted
Wells → single → ?
Following a Frelick strikeout, Pratt lifted a sacrifice fly into foul territory in right, scoring Contreras to make it 4-0.
asserted
it → follow → Contreras
The Rays threatened with two outs in the ninth.
asserted
Rays → threaten → ninth
After Liam Hicks doubled and Jonny DeLuca struck out, Chandler Simpson lined an RBI double to right off Megill, cutting Milwaukee’s lead to 4-1 and bringing the potential tying run into the on-deck circle.
asserted
Simpson → double → circle
But Megill induced a groundout from Richie Palacios to seal the title and set off celebrations among Brewers fans everywhere.
asserted
Megill → induce → fans
The championship capped a season in which Milwaukee posted a major league-best 103-59 record before winning the National League pennant for the first time.
asserted
Milwaukee → cap → time
For Pat Murphy, it was the crowning achievement of his third season managing the Brewers.
asserted
it → crown → Brewers
The 67-year-old, previously Craig Counsell’s bench coach, had already won consecutive National League manager of the year awards before guiding Milwaukee to the promised land.
asserted
old → win → land
The Brewers established their advantage with three consecutive victories: a narrow win in the opener, a comeback from four runs down in Game 2 and a 10-1 rout in Game 3.
asserted
Brewers → establish → Game
Tuesday’s setback delayed their celebration but ultimately did not change the outcome.
asserted
setback → delay → outcome
Tampa Bay, who won an American League-best 98 games, were left with a third World Series defeat following losses in 2008 and 2020.
asserted
who → win → 2008
The matchup guaranteed a first-time champion, the first such World Series since Philadelphia faced Kansas City in 1980.
asserted
Philadelphia → guarantee → 1980
Milwaukee claimed that distinction, leaving the Rays, Colorado Rockies, San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners as the four franchises still seeking their first title.
asserted
Milwaukee → claim → title
Amid the celebrations, Yelich remembered the beloved Brewers broadcaster Bob Uecker, who died last year aged 90.
asserted
who → remember → broadcaster
“He’s smiling, man.
asserted
He → smile → ?
He’s smiling.
asserted
He → smile → ?
I really wish he could have been here to see this,” he said.
uncertain
he → wish → this
“This one’s still for Bob and this is still for you.”
asserted
this → ’ → you
The Aporia
