Read the Rays side (the whole game, score included)
Tampa Bay at Milwaukee
This is Missed It. Tampa Bay at Milwaukee, Saturday, October twenty-fourth, with the Rays. You missed it? Here's the whole game, as it happened.
Pregame
Alright, Rays fans, here we go. Game two of this seven-game series, and we find ourselves in Milwaukee after dropping the opener. We're oh and one, they're one and oh, and the Brewers took the first one. We need this one. We need to show them that the first game was just a hiccup, that this team is made of more than that. Let's get back to even and make this a series.
Top 1st
And we are off and running in Milwaukee, and oh, what a start this is. We come out swinging in the top of the first. Seven batters come to the plate, and we put a four-spot on the board before they even know what hit them. Yandy Díaz gets things going, and with one out and a runner on, Chandler Simpson steps in. He sends a ground ball out to center field, Garrett Mitchell comes in on it, but it's just out of his reach. It rolls to the wall, and Yandy Díaz comes around to score. Just like that, we're up one to nothing. The bats are alive, the energy is there, and we are putting the pressure on early. The hits just keep on coming. With one out and Chandler Simpson now standing on first, Junior Caminero digs in. He gets a pitch he likes and laces it into left field. Jackson Chourio gives chase, but it falls in for a base hit. Chandler Simpson never breaks stride, he rounds second, and he's waved home. He slides in safely, and just like that, it's two to nothing. Two hits, two runs, and the Brewers are already looking a little uncomfortable. This is the kind of start we needed. This is the kind of start that sets the tone for the whole ballgame. And then, with one out and Junior Caminero on base, Liam Hicks steps to the plate. He works the count, and then he gets a pitch he can drive. He doesn't miss it. He sends it deep to right center field, and that ball is gone. A two-run homer. Junior Caminero trots home, and we are up four to nothing. The dugout is going crazy, the fans in the stands are on their feet, and we have ourselves a ballgame. Four runs in the first inning. You can't ask for a better start than that.
Bot 1st
But Milwaukee isn't going to just roll over. They come right back in the bottom of the first, and they answer. They get a couple of runners on, and with one out, William Contreras steps in. He hits a ground ball to center field, Jonny DeLuca comes up firing, but it's too late. Jackson Chourio scores, Jake Bauers moves to third, and just like that, it's four to one. They're chipping away, and you can feel the momentum starting to shift just a little bit. We've got to hold the line here. And they keep coming. With two outs and two on, Garrett Mitchell steps to the plate. He hits a sharp line drive to right field, Victor Mesa Jr. gives it a chase, but it's just out of his reach. Jake Bauers scores, William Contreras moves to third, and it's four to two. They've cut our lead in half, and you can feel the tension in the air. We had them on the ropes, and now they're right back in it. We need to settle down, get out of this inning, and get back to doing what we were doing.
Top 2nd - Bot 3rd
The top of the second is a quick one. Four batters come up, and we can't get anything going. We go down in order, and the score stays four to two. The bottom of the second is even quicker. Three batters, no runs, and we're back to the dugout. The top of the third, same story. Three batters, no runs. The bottom of the third, they get four batters up, but we hold them. No runs. We're still up four to two, but we've gone quiet. We need to find that spark again.
Top 4th - Bot 4th
The top of the fourth is another quiet one for us. Four batters, no runs. We're still holding on to that two-run lead, but we're not adding to it. And then, in the bottom of the fourth, Milwaukee starts to chip away again. With one out and a runner on, Sal Frelick steps in. He hits a sharp line drive to right field, Victor Mesa Jr. is there, but it's just out of his reach. Cooper Pratt moves to third, and they've got a runner in scoring position with just one out. You can feel the pressure building. And then it happens. With one out and two on, David Hamilton hits a ground ball to first base. Jonathan Aranda fields it, but the throw is off. It gets by him. Cooper Pratt scores, Sal Frelick moves to second, and just like that, it's four to three. A fielding error, and they're right back in it. We had a chance to get out of the inning, and we let it slip. Now they've got the tying run in scoring position, and the crowd is getting loud. But we dig deep. With two outs and the bases loaded, Christian Yelich steps to the plate. He hits a ground ball to second base. Richie Palacios fields it cleanly, fires to first, and it's an out. Inning over. We escape with the lead intact, but just barely. Four to three, and we're holding on by our fingernails.
Top 5th - Top 6th
The top of the fifth, we get a little something going. With one out and nobody on, Jonathan Aranda steps in. He hits a line drive to right field, Sal Frelick gives chase, but it's off the wall. A double. We've got a runner in scoring position, and we need to cash in. But we can't. The next three batters can't bring him home, and we leave him stranded. The score stays four to three. The bottom of the fifth is quick. Four batters, no runs. The top of the sixth, another four batters, no runs. We're still up by one, but we're not doing ourselves any favors.
The Sequence
And now, here we are. This is where the game is decided. Bottom of the sixth, we're up four to three, and we need to hold them. But Sal Frelick steps to the plate with nobody on and nobody out. He gets a pitch he likes, and he sends it deep to center field. Jonny DeLuca goes back, back, but it's gone. A solo homer, and just like that, it's tied at four. The air goes out of the balloon. We had the lead, and now it's gone. The top of the seventh, we go down in order. Four batters, no runs. We can't get anything going. And then, in the bottom of the seventh, Milwaukee takes the lead. With nobody on and nobody out, Brice Turang steps in. He hits a sharp line drive to center field, Jonny DeLuca gives chase, but it's off the wall. A double. They've got a runner in scoring position with no outs. And then, with one out, Cooper Pratt steps to the plate. He hits a line drive to right field, Victor Mesa Jr. is there, but it's just out of his reach. Brice Turang scores, and just like that, it's five to four. They've taken the lead, and we're on the wrong side of it. The top of the eighth, we go down in order. Three batters, no runs. The bottom of the eighth, they get five batters up, but we hold them. No runs. We're still down by one, and we've got one more chance. The top of the ninth, we get four batters up. We need a rally. We need a miracle. But we can't get it done. No runs. The game is over.
Wrap-up
Final score, four to five. We drop this one by one run. It's a tough one to swallow. We had the lead, we had the momentum, and we let it slip away. Our record falls to oh and two, and they improve to two and oh. They lead the series two games to none, with five games still to play. We've got a long way to go, but we've got to find a way to bounce back. We've got to find a way to get a win. This one hurts, but we're not done yet.
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.
Read the Brewers side (the whole game, score included)
Tampa Bay at Milwaukee
This is Missed It. Tampa Bay at Milwaukee, Saturday, October twenty-fourth, with the Brewers. You missed it? Here's the whole game, as it happened.
Pregame
It's game two of this seven-game series at home, and we are riding high after taking the opener. The Tampa Bay Rays come in at oh and one, and we're sitting at one and oh. We've got the ball first, and the message is simple: keep the foot on the gas, keep the home crowd in it, and make this series ours before the Rays even catch their breath.
Innings 1-3
The top of the first starts with a knot in the stomach. One out, a runner on, and Chandler Simpson hits a ground ball to center field. Garrett Mitchell charges, but the ball skips through, and Yandy Díaz trots home. One nothing, Rays. The crowd shifts, but we've been here before. Then Junior Caminero steps in, one out, a runner on, and he singles to left. Jackson Chourio fields it clean, but Chandler Simpson is already flying around third, and he scores. Two nothing. The air goes quiet. Then Liam Hicks digs in, one out, a runner on, and he gets a hold of one. Fly ball to right center, deep, and it's gone. Junior Caminero scores ahead of him, and just like that it's four nothing. Four runs in the first. The dugout is stunned, but not broken. We answer right back. Bottom of the first, one out, two on, and William Contreras steps up. He singles on a ground ball to center fielder Jonny DeLuca, and Jackson Chourio scores. Jake Bauers moves to third. Four one. The crowd finds its voice again. Then Garrett Mitchell, two outs, two on, and he lines a sharp one to right fielder Victor Mesa Jr. Jake Bauers scores, William Contreras holds at third. Four two. We're back in it, and the energy in the park flips completely. The top of the second, Tampa Bay sends up four batters and gets nothing. We match them in the bottom half, three up, three down, no runs. The top of the third, three batters, no runs. Bottom of the third, four batters, no runs. It's four two after three, and we've steadied the ship. The early storm passed, and now it's a ballgame.
Innings 4-6
The top of the fourth, Tampa Bay gets four batters and nothing across. We take the bottom half and start to grind. One out, a runner on, and Sal Frelick steps in. He lines a sharp one to right fielder Victor Mesa Jr., and Cooper Pratt moves to third. The crowd leans forward. Then David Hamilton, one out, two on, and he hits a ground ball to first. Jonathan Aranda fields it, but the throw is off. Cooper Pratt scores, Sal Frelick moves to second. Four three. We're within one, and the place is roaring. Then Christian Yelich, two outs, bases loaded, and he grounds out, second baseman Richie Palacios to first baseman Jonathan Aranda. The inning ends, but the momentum is ours. The top of the fifth, one out, bases empty, and Jonathan Aranda doubles on a line drive to right fielder Sal Frelick. A scare, but Tampa Bay can't bring him home. Four batters, no runs. Bottom of the fifth, four batters, no runs for us. Top of the sixth, four batters, no runs for them. It's still four three, and every pitch feels heavier now. We're chasing, but we're right there.
The Sequence
This is where the game turns. Bottom of the sixth, no outs, bases empty, and Sal Frelick steps to the plate. He's already had a hand in this comeback, and now he gets all of one. Fly ball to center field, and it just keeps carrying. Gone. Tie game, four four. The crowd erupts, and you can feel the shift in the air. We're not chasing anymore. Top of the seventh, Tampa Bay sends up four batters and gets nothing. Bottom of the seventh, no outs, bases empty, and Brice Turang steps in. He doubles on a sharp line drive to center fielder Jonny DeLuca, and suddenly the winning run is in scoring position. One out, a runner on, and Cooper Pratt comes up. He singles on a line drive to right fielder Victor Mesa Jr., and Brice Turang scores. Five four. We've taken the lead for the first time all night, and the park is shaking. Top of the eighth, three batters, no runs. Bottom of the eighth, five batters, no runs. We leave them stranded, but the lead holds. Top of the ninth, four batters, and Tampa Bay gets nothing. The final out drops, and it's over. Five four.
Wrap-up
Final score, Tampa Bay Rays four, Milwaukee Brewers five. We win by one. Our record moves to two and oh, and the Rays fall to oh and two. We lead this series two games to none, with five games still to play. The comeback is complete, the lead is ours, and we're not letting go.
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.