Tampa Bay at Milwaukee

Tampa Bay at Milwaukee

This is Missed It. Tampa Bay at Milwaukee, Friday, October twenty-third, with the Rays. You missed it? Here's the whole game, as it happened.

Pregame

It's opening day for both clubs, and we are in Milwaukee to start a seven-game series against the Brewers. Both teams come in at oh and oh, fresh starts, nobody with a blemish yet. This is Game 1 of a long seven-game set, and for us, it's about setting a tone. We want to get off on the right foot, take the first one, and put a little pressure on them early. It's a new season, and this is where it all begins.

Innings 1-3

We get things started at the plate, and right away there's some life. With one out and a runner on, Chandler Simpson drops a soft ground ball into left field, and Jonathan Aranda moves up to second. Two on, one out, and we're threatening early. The crowd is buzzing, and you can feel it. This is exactly the kind of start we wanted. But then Junior Caminero steps in, and he lines one right at third baseman David Hamilton. He flips it to second, and Aranda is doubled off. Inning over. Just like that, the threat is gone. We had something cooking, and it evaporated in a heartbeat. That one stings, because you don't get many chances like that against a team like Milwaukee. The Brewers answer right away. With one out and a runner on, Christian Yelich gets a hold of one and sends a sharp line drive to center. Jonny DeLuca gives chase, but it's not getting caught. Yelich cruises into third with a triple, and Jackson Chourio trots home. Just like that, it's one to nothing, and the place is on its feet. And they're not done. William Contreras steps in with Yelich still on third, and he strokes a sharp line drive to left. Chandler Simpson gets a glove on it, but it deflects off shortstop Taylor Walls, and by the time anyone can recover, Yelich is crossing the plate. Two to nothing, Brewers. Two runs on two swings, and we're suddenly chasing. The next couple of innings are quiet. We go down in order in the second, and they do the same. We come back up in the third, and it's another quick inning. Three up, three down for us. The bats have gone cold after that first spark, and we're stuck at zero. They're not adding on, but they don't need to. Two runs feels like a mountain right now.

Innings 4-6

We need something, and we get a little life in the fourth. Jonathan Aranda works a walk to lead off the inning. No outs, a runner on, and you can feel the dugout start to stir. Then Junior Caminero, the guy who hit into that double play earlier, steps in and rips a sharp line drive to center. Garrett Mitchell can't get there, and Caminero is standing on second. Aranda holds at third. Two on, one out, and we're knocking on the door. Liam Hicks comes up with the chance to drive somebody in, and he does. He grounds out to first, but it's deep enough. Aranda scores, Caminero moves to third, and we're on the board. Two to one, and we're right back in this thing. That run felt like it took forever to get, but it's there now. They go down in order in the bottom of the fourth, and we come back up in the fifth looking to keep the momentum. Victor Mesa Jr. leads off with a sharp line drive to right, and he's on first with nobody out. A chance to tie it up, maybe even take the lead. But we can't push him across. The inning ends without a sound, and we're still down by one.

The Sequence

This is where the game gets decided. Bottom of the fifth, one out, bases empty. David Hamilton hits a sharp line drive to right, and Victor Mesa Jr. is on it. He fields it clean, fires to second, and Ben Williamson is there to cut it off. The throw goes to third, Junior Caminero applies the tag, and Hamilton is out. A double turned into nothing. That's the kind of play that keeps you in a ballgame. Top of the sixth, one out, a runner on. Chandler Simpson strikes out swinging, and Jonathan Aranda gets caught stealing second. A double play without the ball ever leaving the infield. Catcher to shortstop to catcher, and just like that, the inning is over. That one hurts. We had a runner on, and we gave it away. They get a chance in the bottom of the seventh. Two outs, a runner on, and Jackson Chourio singles to right. Cooper Pratt scores, and just like that, it's three to one. That's the dagger. We had been hanging around, and they found a way to extend the lead. Now we need two just to tie. Top of the eighth, Victor Mesa Jr. strikes out swinging to lead off the inning. We go down in order, and it's getting late. Bottom of the eighth, they get a couple of runners on, but they can't add on. It stays three to one, and we get one last chance. Top of the ninth, and we don't go quietly. A walk, a single, and suddenly the bases are loaded with one out. Jorge Mateo is on third, Chandler Simpson is on second, Junior Caminero is on first. We challenge a call at first, and it's upheld. But Liam Hicks grounds out sharply, and Mateo scores. Simpson to third, Caminero to second. It's three to two, and we've got a runner on third with two outs. But that's where it ends. The next batter can't bring him home, and the game is over. Three to two, Brewers. We fought, we clawed, we got the tying run to third base, but we couldn't get him in.

Wrap-up

Final score, Tampa Bay Rays two, Milwaukee Brewers three. They got us by one. We're oh and one on the season, they're one and oh. They lead the series one game to none, with six games still to play. It's a long series, and this is just the first one. We had our chances, we just couldn't cash in. But there's a lot of baseball left, and we'll be back at it tomorrow.

Outro

That was Tampa Bay at Milwaukee, from the Rays side. This has been Missed It. Every game, both sides, at missed it dot net. Produced by James Barrett.

Tampa Bay at Milwaukee

This is Missed It. Tampa Bay at Milwaukee, Friday, October twenty-third, with the Brewers. You missed it? Here's the whole game, as it happened.

Pregame

Opening day. Game one of a seven-game series, and both clubs come in at oh and oh, which is exactly where every team wants to be on day one. The Tampa Bay Rays are in town, and we've got the ball first at home. Seven games against the same club, that's a marathon right out of the gate, and you want to set the tone early. We're the Milwaukee Brewers, we're at home, and we're ready to show these Rays what a summer in our park feels like.

Innings 1-3

Top of the first, nobody on, one out, and the Rays are already making noise. Chandler Simpson drops a soft ground ball into left field, and Jonathan Aranda moves up to second. Two on, one out, and you can feel the crowd tighten just a little. Then Junior Caminero steps in and lines one hard at third base. David Hamilton snags it, fires to Brice Turang at second, and Aranda is doubled off. Just like that, the threat is gone. The defense bails us out, and we come to the plate with all the momentum. Bottom of the first, one out, and Jackson Chourio is on base. Christian Yelich steps in and absolutely rips a sharp line drive to center field. Jonny DeLuca is sprinting, but the ball is gone, off the wall, and Yelich is flying. Chourio scores from first, and Yelich pulls into third with a triple. The place erupts. That's how you start a season. One nothing, Brewers. And we're not done. One out, Yelich still standing on third, and William Contreras comes up. He swings and sends a sharp line drive to left field. Chandler Simpson is there, but the ball deflects off shortstop Taylor Walls, and it rolls away. Yelich trots home. Two nothing, Brewers. Two runs in the first, and the bats are already talking. Top of the second, the Rays send three batters to the plate, and we send them right back. No runs, no drama. Bottom of the second, we get four batters up but can't push anything across. Still two nothing. Top of the third, three more Rays, three more outs. Bottom of the third, three of ours, and we're back to the dugout. Two nothing through three, and we're in control.

Innings 4-6

Top of the fourth, and the Rays are grinding. Jonathan Aranda leads off with a walk, and you can feel the shift. One out later, Junior Caminero doubles sharply to center field, and Aranda is standing on third. Two on, one out, and the tying run is at the plate. Liam Hicks grounds out to first, Jake Bauers to the pitcher, and Aranda scores. Caminero moves to third. It's two to one, and suddenly this is a ballgame. Bottom of the fourth, we send three batters up and can't answer. The lead is down to one, and the Rays are breathing down our necks. Top of the fifth, Victor Mesa Jr. singles on a line drive to right field, and Sal Frelick is there to keep it in front. But the Rays can't push him across. Four batters, no runs, and we escape. Still two to one, and we need something.

The Sequence

Bottom of the fifth, one out, and David Hamilton rips a double to right field. Victor Mesa Jr. is on it in a hurry, and the throw comes in. Hamilton rounds second, and he's thinking three. The relay is perfect, Ben Williamson to Junior Caminero, and Hamilton is tagged out at third. A rally snuffed out in an instant. That one stings. Top of the sixth, one out, and Chandler Simpson is on base. He takes off for second, and William Contreras guns it down. Cooper Pratt applies the tag, and Simpson is caught stealing. The inning dies right there. We're still up by one, and the defense is keeping us alive. Bottom of the sixth, five batters come up, but nobody crosses the plate. Top of the seventh, three Rays, three outs. We're still clinging to a one-run lead, and you can feel the tension building. Then, bottom of the seventh, two outs, and Cooper Pratt is on base. Jackson Chourio steps in and pokes a ground ball through the right side. Victor Mesa Jr. charges, but the ball is past him. Pratt is running on contact, and he scores. Three to one, Brewers. That's the insurance we needed. Top of the eighth, Victor Mesa Jr. strikes out swinging, and the Rays go down in order. Bottom of the eighth, five batters, no runs, and we head to the ninth with a two-run lead. Top of the ninth, and the Rays aren't done. The bases are loaded with one out, and Liam Hicks is at the plate. He grounds out sharply, Brice Turang to Cooper Pratt to Jake Bauers. Jorge Mateo scores from third, Chandler Simpson moves to third, Junior Caminero to second. It's three to two, and the tying run is ninety feet away. But the next batter can't bring him home. The game ends right there.

Wrap-up

Final score, three to two, Brewers. We take game one of seven, and we lead the series one game to none. Our record is one and oh, and the Rays fall to oh and one. Six games left in this series, and we've got the first one in the bank. That's how you open a season.

Outro

That was Tampa Bay at Milwaukee, from the Brewers side. This has been Missed It. Every game, both sides, at missed it dot net. Produced by James Barrett.