World Series Game 5 Picks: Brewers Favored Behind Jacob Misiorowski

Well, hey everyone. We get another day of baseball, as the Tampa Bay Rays rallied in the extra innings to stave off elimination and avoid a sweep at the hands of the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 4.

The Brewers and Rays were tied 2-2 after nine innings, and we played two scoreless frames, going well into the night. In the top of the 12th inning, rookie Cooper Pratt swatted a solo home run to give Milwaukee a 3-2 victory, and it looked like the brooms were coming out.

However, relievers Antonio Senzatela and Shane Drohan were unable to hold the lead. Joey Oritz backhanded a sharp grounder by Junior Caminero, and the third baseman skipped one to Jake Bauers which hit him on the palm. The throwing error started a rally for the home side.

Liam Hicks stayed hot for the Rays, giving the Rays runners at the corners with nobody out, while Jonny DeLuca delivered a single to plate pinch-runner Cedric Mullins, who was running for Caminero. The latter came up limping while beating out the ball to first, and that’s a situation worth watching heading into Game 5. Chandler Simpson singled to load the bases, while Ben Williamson came up with the game-winning hit, helping the Rays avert the embarrassing sweep.

Now, we head into Game 5, and it appears that the Rays might have to go with a bullpen game, although it’s certainly possible that RHP Nick Martinez comes back to start in a limited capacity. He worked two scoreless innings of relief, throwing 33 pitches in the sixth and seventh innings. Or, could we see RHP Drew Rasmussen? Or, perhaps a combination of both, with Tampa’s backs to the wall? Nothing is off the table.

What is certain for Milwaukee is that RHP Jacob Misiorowski will be pitching for the visitors, looking to clinch the team’s first-ever World Series title.

Misiorowski allowed just one run, four hits and a walk with three strikeouts across five innings in a 3-2 victory in Game 1 against the Rays, and he is 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA across 13.1 IP in three postseason starts, allowing just four runs, five walks and 14 strikeouts.

The 24-year-old has been hard on Milwaukee in regular-season and postseason work, as the team is a collective 9 for 41 (.220) with one double, one homer, four RBI, three walks and nine strikeouts while posting a dismal .317 slugging percentage and .590 OPS. Simpson has two hits in four at-bats, as he is the only player who apparently sees the ball well out of Miz’s hand.

We prematurely called for an end to the World Series in Game 4, rolling with the bullpen game for Milwaukee over Griffin Jax, who did well enough.

Now, in Game 5, we’re going with the BREWERS (-146) as moderate favorites behind Misiorowski, while going UNDER 6.5 (-106) on the total.

We’ll go UNDER 5.5 STRIKEOUTS (-111) on Misiorowski, though, as the Rays just don’t strike out at a high rate, and Misiorowski has had somewhat muted strikeout numbers while facing top-tier teams in the postseason.