The Brewers opened the 2026 World Series with a 3-2 win, and Pat Murphy came away sounding exactly like a manager who knew his club had survived a night that had a little bit of everything.
William Contreras was the centerpiece. He delivered the early RBI that helped Milwaukee jump out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, and he was just as valuable behind the plate. Contreras worked two ABS overturns, threw out two attempted basestealers, and kept piling up value in a game that never really stopped asking questions.
“Contreras was incredible,” Murphy said on MLB Network during his postgame press conference. “If anybody doesn't notice the contributions of Contreras, he was the player of the game.”
Murphy has kept spotlighting his catcher all postseason, and Thursday night gave him plenty more reason to do it. Contreras’ first-inning single off Rays All-Star Nick Martinez ended up being the difference on the offensive side, and he finished 2-for-3 with two singles and a walk in four plate appearances.
“Contreras was unbelievable. The two caught stealings, the ABS, the hits, calling the game.”
Jacob Misiorowski brought the kind of raw power that turns heads, reaching 103.5 MPH at his peak. Tampa Bay still managed to put the ball in play, though, and that was the reality of his night: not a strikeout blitz, but an efficient five innings anyway. He finished with three strikeouts, and one of the cleanest endings to his outing came with help from Contreras, whose 78th and final pitch of the night turned into a caught stealing at third base.
“I think what we're used to seeing in the regular season was Miz mow through people and have two strikeouts an inning,” said Murphy. “It's unrealistic.
It's the best team in the American League. They proved that in the regular season, and proving it in the postseason so far.
“In one of the ways they do that, is they make contact better than anyonein baseball. So for Miz to go through five innings the way he did. Gave up a few hard contacts, he only walked one guy, didn't give up free bases.”
After Misiorowski handed things over, Milwaukee went back to the bullpen formula it trusts. Abner Uribe and Aaron Ashby covered nine outs to bridge the gap to Trevor Megill, and for a while it looked like the Brewers might cruise home.
The ninth got messy fast. The Rays put together a couple of knocks to bring the tying runs aboard, then used a double-steal to create more pressure. Megill responded by pitching carefully to Junior Caminero with first base open, choosing to walk the star hitter and load the bases.
Then came the play that could have flipped the whole night. Megill induced what looked like a game-ending double play, but rookie shortstop Cooper Pratt came off second base, the call was overturned on challenge, and Tampa Bay stayed alive. Murphy said he was fine with the ruling.
“I think they got it right,” said Murphy. “Even if we gave up two runs there and lose the game, and we're all dejected, the rule is put in place for the right reason: to get it right. I don't know if they got it right, I assume they did.”
Megill still finished the job. He struck out the next batter himself to seal the win, and Murphy made sure to point out how his closer handled the biggest pitch of the night.
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