Misiorowski World Series Record Fires Up Brewers' Game 1 Win

The Misiorowski World Series record arrived before anybody had time to find their seat. Milwaukee Brewers fireballer Jacob Misiorowski opened Game 1 on Friday night with a fastball clocked at 103.5 mph, the fastest pitch in World Series history since tracking began in 2008, and his team held on for a nail-biting win over the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Pitch That Broke the Record

The very first offering to Rays hitter Yandy Díaz sailed high and was called a ball, but nobody in Milwaukee cared. The stadium boards flashed 103.4 mph, and MLB's Statcast system then settled on 103.5, according to the Associated Press. The old Series mark of 103.2 mph belonged to Aroldis Chapman, who threw it for the Cubs in Game 2 of 2016.

Here is the part that really hits: the previous best by a starting pitcher was 101.1 mph, thrown by Noah Syndergaard of the Mets in 2015. Misiorowski didn't just edge past the record, he left it in the rearview mirror. The twenty-four-year-old has had the sport's attention since his debut in June 2025.

The Misiorowski World Series record was only the opening act, and he kept the heat coming all night. According to the AP, he reached 100 mph with thirty-eight pitches, topping the old Series high of twenty-four set by Chapman in 2016. Thirty of his pitches came in at 101 mph or faster, eleven at 102 or more, and three at 103-plus.

Not a Perfect Night, but Enough

Here's the twist: all that velocity didn't produce a pile of strikeouts. Misiorowski finished with just three, a season low, and only seven swings and misses. He went five innings, allowed one run on four hits, and left with a 2-1 lead, per the AP.

The Brewers had spent the week between series fixing mechanical issues that popped up in his two earlier playoff starts, according to MLB.com. The results were mixed but good enough. "Not perfect, but good enough to get a win," Misiorowski said afterward, as quoted by the Los Angeles Times.

It is also his longest outing of this October, and the first time in the playoffs that he made it through five full innings. For a pitcher who threw a regular-season record of 1,115 pitches at 100 mph or higher, that is a small but meaningful step. His fastest pitch of the year was 105.5 mph back on June 27.

Yelich, Contreras and the Early Jolt

Milwaukee gave its ace help right away. Jackson Chourio singled on the first pitch from Rays starter Nick Martinez, and captain Christian Yelich followed with an RBI triple that fell just out of reach of diving center fielder Jonny DeLuca. William Contreras then added a line-drive single to make it 2-0, as the Los Angeles Times reported.

Yelich became the seventh player to triple in his first World Series plate appearance, and the first since Kansas City's Lynn Jones in 1985, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Contreras also threw out two runners trying to steal, snuffing out the Rays' speed game when they needed a spark.

Tampa Bay got a run back in the fourth after Junior Caminero smoked a double with a 112.7 mph exit velocity. Milwaukee answered with an insurance run in the seventh, which turned out to matter a lot.

A Wild Ninth Inning

The Rays made it dramatic. With closer Trevor Megill on the mound, Jonathan Aranda and Chandler Simpson hit back-to-back singles, a double steal moved the tying run into scoring position, and Caminero walked to load the bases. Liam Hicks then grounded into what looked like a game-ending double play, and fireworks went off in the ballpark.

Then came the replay review. Shortstop Cooper Pratt's right foot was slightly off the bag, so the out was overturned, a run scored, and the Rays had runners on second and third. Megill reset and struck out DeLuca swinging to seal the 3-2 win. "You just have to lock it back in," Yelich said of the moment.

Why This World Series Feels Different

This is the first World Series since 1980 with two teams chasing their first championship, per the Los Angeles Times. It is also Milwaukee's first World Series game since 1982, and the Brewers got here by sweeping the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS. The sellout crowd at American Family Field made that history loud.

There's a big-picture angle too. MLB.com noted that the game had no home runs and no gaudy strikeout totals, just two athletic small-market teams trying to get on base. Game 1 winners have gone on to take the title 62.8 percent of the time. For more big games and sports headlines, check our sports coverage or catch up on Canadian news.

Game 2 is Saturday at 8 p.m. ET on FOX. If the Misiorowski World Series record is any hint, this series is going to be fast, tense and very watchable.