It was Pablo Sandoval’s night when the World Series opened on this date in 2012. The Giants third baseman went 4-for-4 and launched three home runs in San Francisco’s 8-3 win over the Tigers in Game 1, putting his name next to Albert Pujols, Reggie Jackson, and Babe Ruth - twice - as the only players to hit three homers in a World Series game. Sandoval would go on to win Series MVP honors as the Giants swept Detroit for the title.
This year’s Fall Classic has already delivered a tense first chapter of its own, with Milwaukee grabbing Game 1 in a tight 3-2 win over the Rays on Friday. The Brewers got out in front immediately, with Christian Yelich driving in the first run on an RBI triple and William Contreras following with an RBI single in the opening inning. Jackson Chourio added the decisive blow in the seventh, lining an RBI single that held up as the game-winner.
Jacob Misiorowski gave Milwaukee a solid start, allowing one earned run over five innings while scattering four hits, walking one and striking out three. Abner Uribe and Aaron Ashby then handled three scoreless innings in relief to set things up for Trevor Megill.
The ninth inning still nearly flipped the whole thing. Tampa Bay trailed 3-1 with one out when two singles and a walk loaded the bases against Megill.
Liam Hicks then hit into what looked like a 4-6-3 double play that would have ended it, but the Rays challenged the call at second base. Replay showed Cooper Pratt didn’t have his foot on the bag while receiving the throw, turning the double play into an RBI groundout and keeping the Rays alive with two runners in scoring position and one out left.
Megill steadied himself after the setback and struck out Jonny DeLuca to lock down the win.
Game 2 is set for tonight at 7pm CT, with the Rays sending Drew Rasmussen to the mound. Rasmussen has posted a 1.29 ERA over three starts and 29 innings this October. Milwaukee will counter with rookie Logan Henderson, who has a 3.00 ERA in nine playoff innings over two starts, though he has also issued five walks in that span.
It’s not quite a must-win for Tampa Bay, but the numbers are plain enough: only 10 teams have ever climbed out of an 0-2 hole to win the World Series. A Rays win would also swing the homefield edge their way, with Games 3, 4, and 5 scheduled for Tropicana Field.
In Other News...
Brewers Just Showed How Fast They Can Break A Team
For a few innings in Game 2 of the World Series, the Rays looked like they had the Brewers right where they wanted them, hanging on to a 4-0 lead before everything started to loosen in a hurry. Milwaukee chipped away, and the pressure inside Tampa Bays dugout only grew when a defensive lapse helped extend the inning and gave the Brewers more life at a moment the Rays badly needed an out.
Junior Camineros frustration was visible as the game slipped, a sign of how quickly the tone changed once the Brewers started turning small openings into something bigger. Jonathan Arandas error added to the mess, and by the seventh inning the comeback was complete enough to leave Tampa Bay chasing the game instead of controlling it, a reminder that against a lineup like Milwaukees, one shaky sequence can change everything fast. [Read more 🡒]
Rays Fans Will Love Raymonds Unexpected Origin Story
The Rays have built a small but memorable mascot trio over the years, with Raymond leading the way since 1998, followed later by DJ Kitty and Stinger. Each has its own look and role around the ballpark, but Raymond has always been the one most closely tied to the clubs identity, the original sea dog who helped give Tampa Bay a little extra personality from the start.
What makes Raymond stand out is the way his story has been folded into Rays lore over time, giving him a backstory that feels almost like a local folktale. While the later additions brought new energy to the mix, Raymonds place in the group has remained the most recognizable, and it is the kind of detail fans tend to latch onto when they think about the team beyond the standings. [Read more 🡒]
Rays Return Home Facing A World Series Gut Check
The World Series has shifted to Tampa Bay with the Rays needing a reset after the Milwaukee Brewers opened the matchup with two straight wins at home. It has been a high-end clash between the two best regular-season teams, with Milwaukee coming in off a 103-win season and Tampa Bay right behind it at 98 wins, but the first two games have put the Rays in an early hole and turned the return trip home into a clear gut check.
Jacob Misiorowski has already added a jolt to the series, firing a 103.5 mph pitch in Game 1 to set a new World Series fastball speed record. For Tampa Bay, the challenge now is less about the novelty of the stage and more about finding a way to settle in before the series gets away from it, because the margin has been small and the pressure only gets heavier as it moves into a ballpark that is supposed to help the Rays answer back. [Read more 🡒]