World Series Game 1 winners and losers: Sloppy Rays, Wild Bill, exposed relievers

World Series Game 1 winners and losers: Sloppy Rays, Wild Bill, exposed relievers.

Key points

• So, what to create of the Brewers' 3-2 victory over an uncharacteristically mistake-prone Tampa Bay Rays team?
• This person scored on Contreras's 108.4 mph single in the first inning.
• Brewers and Rays players create their pitch for why you should tune in as two small-market teams chase a first World Series title.
• When they were obviously starved for runs, it just backfired spectacularly in Game 1.

World Series Game 1 winners and losers: Sloppy Rays, Wild Bill, exposed relievers. Gabe Lacques USA TODAY. Why watch Brewers-Rays World Series? Players create their case.

MILWAUKEE – It's always unwise to assign too much importance to Game 1 of any best-of-seven series. After all, if Game 1s informed all, we'd be submitting this World Series dispatch from Cleveland, not Wisconsin.

It's not nothing. The Brewers were probably, slightly, the superior team coming in. They didn't steal anything. They're three wins from their first World Series title.

Yet the Rays never trailed by more than two runs. Had the tying and winning runs on base when the game concluded. And have their ace, Drew Rasmussen, primed for Game 2.

It's never too early, though, to assess winners and losers from this affair. With that, a look at who's up and who's down from American Family Field.

This was supposedly the mirror image series, featuring two fundamentally-brilliant teams stout on defense, bullish in the bullpen and contact-oriented on offense.

Instead, the Rays' greatest strength – aggression on the bases – became their downfall.

Victor Mesa Jr.'s attempted steal of third with two outs and slugging leadoff man Yandy Díaz mired in a battle with fading Brewers starter Jacob Misiorowski was the most egregious. Dumb move, Mesa acknowledged afterwards.

"I think baseball treats you that way, " he remarked with more than a little poignance, "when you don't do the right thing."

"Obviously, not saying what I did was the right thing. But I'd rather be aggressive than be (passive)."

He's not wrong. When they were obviously starved for runs, it just backfired spectacularly in Game 1. The Rays will obtain flattened if they secure too flat-footed. Then again, there's another difficulty lurking.

Wild Bill created his World Series debut with an absolute podium game, driving in the club's second run, getting two hits and reaching base three times and cutting down Mesa and then Jonathan Aranda on a game-turning, strikeout-throw-out double play an inning afterwards.

Dude's additionally batting.394 this postseason. The Brewers know who's been stirring their lagers.

He's been unbelievable, notes DH Christian Yelich. This person scored on Contreras's 108.4 mph single in the first inning. You know, he's been great for us obviously all year, but since the postseason began, I feel like he's really taken it to another level and he's commanded that pitching staff.

"He's done a great job back there and obviously his bat's been unbelievable. It feels like every time he's finished the at-bat, he's turned something around. I can't say enough great things." Winner: Aaron Ashby's postseason.

They're gonna have to obtain a light show for this dude at some point.

Ashby's now pitched 14 innings in these playoffs. He has yet to offer up a run. He retired all five batters he faced in Game 1, and has given up just four hits in October.

Sure, we've seen epic postseason scoreless streaks. But those are usually the domain of starting pitchers. Ashby is now, essentially, 7-for-7 in these playoffs – that's the number of games he's impacted, all Brewers wins.

If Brewers fans had a sick feeling in their stomach all night, well, this guy was the one lurking in the shadows to create constant pressure. A single in the first. A walk and a run scored in the fourth. A single in the sixth. Meanwhile, a single in the ninth, kick-starting the weird and unsettling rally that included a replay overturn that could have turned into the biggest horror show Wisconsin's seen since Randy Wright was quarterbacking the Packers.

This guy is a pure hitter, rarely misses, almost singlehandedly wore down Jacob Misiorowski. Certainly, others will have to pick up the slack going forward. But Aranda can always keep the Rays in the fight.

It's a thing: You see a guy multiple times in a seven-game series and he becomes less exotic, more hittable, theoretically. In that case, the Brewers cashed in some of their reliever equity in using Ashby, Abner Uribe and closer Trevor Megill to record the final 12 outs.

It's huge, in a seven-game series, to face a guy multiple times, notes Rays shortstop Taylor Walls. Dig your cleats in and obtain comfortable, or at least see the shapes you're going to see throughout the series, is really sizeable.

"I'm glad we got to see all three of their guys tonight so hopefully that's a strength for us moving forward."

On the flip side, clubs additionally shouldn't obsess concerning overexposure. The Rays trotted out lefty relievers Steven Matz and Garrett Cleavinger – who hadn't pitched since Sept. 4 – while leaving top lefty Cam Booser and righty Tyler Wells out in the pen.

And suddenly that one run Matz yielded in the seventh looked massive after the Rays pushed one throughout in the ninth.

Sure, you don't want to expose guys. But it's the World Series, and at some point you're going to have to throw good pitching into slightly suboptimal situations. Winner: The Replay Center.

Or whatever that joint's called in New York where umpires decide whether to overturn calls or let them stand. Did Cooper Pratt's right foot ease off the bag on an apparent game-ending double play? Or did a little piece of his spikes keep in contact?

It would've been straightforward to defend the latter – or at least throw up your hands and say this wasn't clear and compelling evidence. But the folks in New York overturned the call, remarked play on, even though fireworks had gone off inside American Family Field and 43, 000 soggy Brewers fans were ready to party.

Meanwhile, a win-win, really: The Rays obtained new life, but the outcome did not change on what might have been a too-close call to overturn. Share your feedback to support improve our site!

In short, world Series Game 1 winners and losers: Sloppy Rays, Wild Bill, exposed is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.