TAMPA, Fla. — Travis Jankowski played a pivotal role in the Tampa Bay Rays’ 3-2 victory against the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday, marking the first instance of home field weather delays in the history of the Rays franchise.
Jankowski, a recent addition to the Rays, produced the crucial RBI single in the ninth inning. His hit off reliever Trevor Megill brought rookie Kameron Misner to home plate for the game-winning run. Misner had been walked by Grant Anderson (1-2) and successfully advanced to second base with a steal.
The hit nearly resulted in an out, but the ball slipped beneath the glove of Milwaukee’s left fielder, Isaac Collins, allowing Misner to score his second run of the night. Jankowski’s presence became vital once again in the fourth inning, where he achieved a go-ahead 2-1 lead for the Rays with a sacrifice fly. Pitcher Pete Fairbanks (3-1) then closed the game in the ninth inning to secure the win.
Milwaukee’s scoring began with Jackson Chourio, who launched a first-pitch solo home run off Taj Bradley during the third inning. Later, Joey Ortiz managed a solo home run, squeaking the ball just inside the right-field foul pole in his first home run since September.
An important event in the game followed a 38-minute rain hiatus in the fifth inning. Both teams’ pitchers controlled the game remarkably by retiring the next 19 consecutive batters. In the Brewers’ ninth inning, two errors allowed consecutive batters to reach base. Despite this challenge, Fairbanks maintained composure, loading the bases with a walk before getting the necessary outs to maintain the tie.
Significantly, this game marked Tampa Bay’s first rain-induced delay at home in its 28-year history, delaying the start by 27 minutes and triggering another interruption in the fifth inning. The now-roofless Tropicana Field, damaged by Hurricane Milton, led the team to temporarily use Steinbrenner Field for home games. Fans attending the game were provided with complimentary ponchos to accommodate the sudden weather shifts.
Looking ahead to the final game of the series on Sunday, Milwaukee plans to start Chad Patrick (2-3, 3.08 ERA) against Drew Rasmussen (1-3, 3.09) for Tampa Bay.