It was the game-ending double play that was, then wasn’t. And in between, Game 1 of the World Series hung in the balance.
With the Brewers clinging to a 3-1 advantage over the Rays in the top of the ninth inning at American Family Field on Friday night, Tampa Bay loaded the bases with one out. Catcher Liam Hicks was at the plate for the Rays, against Milwaukee’s closer, Trevor Megill.
Hicks hit a ground ball toward the hole between first and second. Second baseman Brice Turang went to his left to glove it, spun around and threw to shortstop Cooper Pratt in an effort to begin a double play.
In real time, it appeared that Pratt got the force at second and made the relay throw in time to get Jake Bauers at first. The fireworks went off in the wake of Milwaukee’s first victory in a World Series since 1982.
But, wait -- not so fast.
The Rays challenged the out at second, arguing that Pratt’s foot came off the bag when the ball hit his glove. And upon replay review, it was determined that Tampa Bay was right. By the slightest of margins, it appeared that Pratt did not, in fact, keep his foot on the bag long enough as he hurried to complete the second half of the play.
As a result, while Hicks was out at first for the second out of the inning, the runner at second -- Junior Caminero -- was ruled safe and the game resumed.
With a run coming in on the play, the Brewers’ lead was cut to 3-2, with runners still at second and third for the Rays.
But amid the clearing smoke from the fireworks, Megill kept his composure despite the pressure, as he has done all postseason to this point. He struck out Jonny DeLuca swinging to clinch Game 1 for Milwaukee.
For the Brewers, it’s “all’s well that ends well,” especially when it involves a win in the Fall Classic.