Pirates Morning Report: Brewers Take Game 1

Final Score: Brewers 3 Rays 2

Why The Brewers Won: Nick Martinez had another shaky first inning and this time gave up 2 runs. The Brewers were able to control the Rays running game until the 9th inning. The Brewers got a big two out hit in the 7th to provide the difference in the game. The Brewers were able to survive not the best version of Jacob Misiorowski going 5 innings giving up one run on 4 hits and a walk while striking out just 3. The bullpen did it again handling the next 3 innings without giving up a run on one hit and striking out 5. The first game of this series did not disappoint. There were great plays in the field and near great plays. The Rays struck out 9 times which is high for them and could not get a hit in 6 tries with runners in scoring position. The 9th inning had everything you could ask for.

Key Moments Of The Game: The bottom of the first the Brewers scored 2 runs. With one out and a runner on first, Christian Yelich hit a drive to right center field that Jonny DeLuca came close to making the one of the most spectacular catches in World Series history. He could not and Yelich wound up with a triple and the Brewers were ahead 1-0. William Contreras line a hard shot past a drawn in shortstop to make it 2-0 Brewers. Each team scored an additional run and it was 3-1 Brewers going into the top of the 9th. After one out closer Trevor Megill gave up two singles putting runners on 1st and 2nd. Even though the Rays were caught stealing twice in this game it did not deter them. They pulled off the double steal moving runners to 2nd and 3rd. Junior Caminero walked to load the bases. Liam Hicks grounded into what appeared to be a game ending double play but the out at second was overturned when replay showed that the shortstop was not on the bag when he received the ball. Instead of the game being over the Rays had a run to make it 3-2 with runners on 2nd and 3rd with 2 outs. Jonny Decluca who is hitting only .176 in the post season struck out on 5 pitches and this time the game was really over.

Next Game: Tonight Game 2 in Milwaukee. The Rays will be sending their stud Drew Rasmussen to the mound tonight. Misiorowski could only go 5 innings last night with the Brewers digging deep into their bullpen. The A team had to cover the last 4 innings. Time will tell if this is going to catch up with them finally. The Rays will have to do a better job hitting than they did last night. The defenses shined for both teams last night, but I would have to give the slight edge to the Brewers. The Brewers took advantage of their breaks and Rays did not. Game 1 was a great start to this World Series. Stay tuned.

Pirates Morning Report: World Series, Game 1

Final Score: Dodgers 6 Yankees 3 10 innings

Why The Dodgers Won: Despite not being able to get runners in from 3rd base twice with less than 2 outs, the Dodgers were able to rally in the 10th inning scoring 4 runs on Freddie Freeman’s walk off grand slam home run. The game started out as a pitching duel between Jack Flaherty and Gerrit Cole. After 6 innings the score was 2-1 Yankees thanks to a 2 run one out homer by Giancarlo Stanton in the top of the 6th. He could have been the hero of the game, but the Yankees could not make a basic baseball play and it cost them the game. After the Stanton home run the Yankees loaded the bases with 2 outs but could not score a run. Tommy Edman made a great play on a ground ball that kept a run from scoring. It was a run that the Yankees would desperately need.

The KEY Moment Of The Game: Going into the bottom of the 8th the Yankees were clinging to that 2-1 lead. Shohei Ohtani lined a drive off the top of the right field wall and had to run hard to just get a double the ball was hit so hard. Juan Soto threw the ball in, and Gleyber Torres made a half-assed effort to catch the ball, with the ball going off his glove at a crazy angle allowing Ohtani to get to third base. Even though Soto was charged with the error Torres tried to short hop the ball when he did not have to, and it got by him. With Ohtani on third base and 1 out, Mookie Betts hit a sacrifice fly to deep centerfield that scored Ohtani with the tying run.. If the Yankees make this routine play, Ohtani is on 2nd base and the Dodgers do not score a run. The Yankees would have gone on to win the game 2-1 and there are no 10th inning heroics by Freddie Freeman.

Next Game: Tonight, Game 2 in Dodger Stadium. It will be Carlos Rodon going for the Yankees and Yoshinobu Yamamoto for the Dodgers. The big three for the Dodgers did better than the big three for the Yankees. Freeman, Betts and Ohtani went 3 for 13 with a home run and driving in 5 runs. Soto, Judge, and Stanton went 3 for 13 with a home run driving in 2 runs. Overall, the Dodgers put the ball in play better than the Yankees only striking out 4 times to the Yankees 13. It was an exciting tense opening game of the World Series, that boiled down to not making a basic routine play, allowing the Dodgers to go on and win the game. If the Dodgers win it in 7 games remember this one.