World Series Game 3: Rays turn to ex-Brewer Freddy Peralta to avoid 3-0 hole in St. Petersburg
Tampa Bay host Milwaukee in Game 3 on Monday night (8am Tuesday in Malaysia) needing a win, with ALCS MVP Freddy Peralta facing his old team and Robert Gasser starting for the Brewers.
The World Series moves to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, for Game 3 on Monday night, and the Tampa Bay Rays are running out of room. Trailing the Milwaukee Brewers 2-0 after two one-run defeats, the Rays hand the ball to Freddy Peralta, a pitcher who spent eight seasons in Milwaukee. First pitch is 8pm Eastern time, which is 8am on Tuesday 27 October in Malaysia.
How Milwaukee got here
The Brewers won both games at home by a single run. Game 2 on Saturday looked like a Rays game early on: Tampa Bay scored four runs in the first inning to lead 4-0.
Milwaukee chipped away, with Sal Frelick hitting a sixth-inning home run, and Cooper Pratt's RBI single in the seventh put the Brewers ahead for good in a 5-4 win. The Brewers' bullpen threw six scoreless innings after the early damage, and the Rays left the tying run at third base in the ninth.
Peralta against his old club
Peralta has been Tampa Bay's most reliable arm this October. He is 2-0 with a 1.08 ERA and 12 strikeouts in the postseason and was named ALCS MVP after helping the Rays reach the Fall Classic.
Game 3 adds a personal twist. Peralta came through the Brewers' system and pitched his first eight major league seasons in Milwaukee before moving to Tampa Bay. Brewers hitters know his delivery well, but he also knows many of them from years in the same clubhouse.
Gasser gets the call for the Brewers
Milwaukee will start left-hander Robert Gasser, who has a 1.00 ERA this postseason with six strikeouts and no decisions. His last outing was Game 3 of the NLCS against the Los Angeles Dodgers, when he threw five scoreless innings. With the Brewers' bullpen in strong form, Milwaukee may not need him to go deep, as long as he keeps the Rays from another big early inning.
What is at stake
A Brewers win would give Milwaukee a 3-0 lead and put them one win away from the first World Series title in franchise history. A Rays win would cut the gap to 2-1 and give them home advantage in the remaining games at Tropicana Field.
Tampa Bay's main focus is turning early runs into a complete performance. In Game 2 their attack went quiet after the first inning, and that allowed Milwaukee's relievers to take control of the game.
How to follow from Malaysia
Game 3 starts at 8pm ET on Monday 26 October, which is 8am on Tuesday 27 October in Malaysia and Singapore. The game is shown on FOX in the United States. Fans in South-East Asia can usually follow through MLB's own streaming service, depending on local rights.
Key takeaways
- Milwaukee lead the World Series 2-0 after two one-run wins at home.
- Game 3 is at Tropicana Field at 8pm ET Monday, 8am Tuesday in Malaysia.
- ALCS MVP Freddy Peralta (2-0, 1.08 ERA) starts for the Rays against his former team.
- Left-hander Robert Gasser (1.00 ERA) starts for the Brewers.
- A Brewers win would put them one game from their first World Series title.
FAQ
What time is World Series Game 3 in Malaysia? First pitch is 8am on Tuesday 27 October, Malaysia time (8pm ET on Monday 26 October).
Who is pitching in Game 3? Freddy Peralta starts for the Tampa Bay Rays and Robert Gasser starts for the Milwaukee Brewers.
What happened in Game 2? The Brewers came back from 4-0 down to win 5-4, helped by a Sal Frelick home run, a go-ahead Cooper Pratt single and six scoreless innings from the bullpen.
Sources: Yahoo Sports, NBC Sports, Tampa Bay 28, Sports Illustrated