ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Robert Gasser delivered in the World Series unlike any left-handed starter since Sandy Koufax.
Gasser faced the minimum over six dominant innings, pitching the Milwaukee Brewers to the brink of their first championship in a 10-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night.
He's the first starter to face the minimum over six in a World Series game since Curt Schilling for the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 7 of the 2001 Fall Classic.
The last lefty to do it was Koufax, a Hall of Famer who spun his gem in Game 5 of the 1965 World Series.
The 27-year-old rookie nicknamed Bobby Diesel allowed a single to Yandy Diaz leading off the game but erased him on Chandler Simpson’s fielder’s choice. Catcher William Contreras then threw out Simpson attempting to steal second after Simpson slid off the bag.
Gasser retired 12 in a row until a leadoff walk to Victor Mesa Jr. in the sixth. Nick Fortes followed with a double-play groundout, and Taylor Walls grounded out to second on Gasser's final pitch.
Gasser, who began the season in Triple-A Nashville, earned the win with six scoreless innings on one hit, one walk and three strikeouts. He is the first Brewers starter this postseason to record an out in the sixth inning.
“It’s a special opportunity that we all have to be here,” Gasser said. "To be nervous or scared would only be cheating myself and my teammates.”
Second baseman Brice Turang, who helped Gasser with three hits and two RBIs, was hardly surprised Gasser kept his cool.
“He’s very chill,” Turang said. “He drives chill, too. He’s really slow at driving. Everything about him is just chill.”
A second-round pick by San Diego in 2021, Gasser joined Milwaukee in a then-maligned deal for All-Star closer Josh Hader in 2022. He made his major league debut in 2024 but had Tommy John surgery on his left elbow after just five starts.
He struggled to regain his form until late in 2026, when he finished the regular season with a 1.67 ERA in his final six appearances.
“A big word is belief,” Gasser said. “I haven’t changed much over the years from mechanics to velocity. I think it always comes down to, ‘Do you believe in yourself?’"
No question, the Brewers believe in him.
Milwaukee has won four straight road postseason games, three of them started by Gasser. That includes five scoreless innings in Game 3 of the NL Championship Series at Dodger Stadium.
Prior to this year, Milwaukee had lost 12 straight postseason road games since 2018, matching the longest skid in major league history set by the Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins from 1925-87.
“He’s been great for us all year, all postseason,” Brewers captain Christian Yelich said. “And he’s got that steady heartbeat. The moment’s never too big for him, and you know when he goes out there, you’re gonna have a great chance to win the game.”
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Tampa Bay Rays designated hitter Yandy Díaz connects for a base hit off Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Robert Gasser (54) during the first inning of Game 3 of baseball's World Series, Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla., between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Robert Gasser throws during the sixth inning of Game 3 of baseball's World Series, Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla., between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Angel Reese is plenty accustomed to physical play, yet these WNBA Finals are at a different level even for the do-everything Atlanta Dream star.
Reese managed only eight shots and was held to seven points to go with 15 rebounds and five assists in a 64-55 Game 5 loss to the Golden State Valkyries on Monday night while visibly showing her frustration with a handful of offensive foul calls against her.
Coach Karl Smesko took it further and criticized the officiating, after crediting Golden State's sensational defense all series.
“But I do want to have Angel's back here. The contact they allow on Angel compared to everybody else is just ridiculous, just ridiculous, and we should have gone to the foul line six to eight more times just on that,” he said. “And then to miss double-dribbles and travels, multiple, that always led to points, you can't be at this level and make that many mistakes.
"So there's things that are on us, we're missing shots we should make but at the same time that needs to be a whole lot better than it was. It's time that if you push somebody with two hands as they drive it's got to be a foul. And I'm kind of tired of some of the excuses that I'm hearing.”
The officials have been calling fouls that have gotten the Dream to the foul line. Atlanta is up 130-78 on free throw attempts in the series. The Dream took 14 foul shots on Monday to Golden State's 13.
After one foul call in the second half, Reese held her hands up questioning what she had done wrong. She shook her head after an offensive foul call as well.
“Honestly for me, I’m still trying to figure out how to play through the physicality,” Reese said. “A lot of us are getting fouled and they’re not calling it or we’re talking to the ref after and they’re saying, ‘Oh, we’ll get you next time,’ so it is a little frustrating especially in the moment of it. I’m kind of used to it because this was happening throughout the season so I have to just continue to play through it, but honestly for my teammates when they’re getting slapped to the ground or goggles knocked off it is frustrating and trying to keep them in and keep them confident.”
With two defensive-minded teams, Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase dismissed any chatter about the physicality of this series, saying “I ain't shocked about this.”
“It's the Finals this is it,” she said. “Both teams, they really want to win this.”
Reese was eager and ready to regroup again as the Dream head home to host Game 6 on Thursday at 12:30 p.m. EDT trying to stave off elimination and force a deciding Game 7 back in the Bay Area on Saturday.
“We'll figure it out,” Reese said. “We're going to have to continue to push through the physicality and hopefully those go our way next game.”
See AP’s full WNBA coverage here
Golden State Valkyries guard Veronica Burton (22) and Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese (5) compete for possession of the ball during the first half of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball finals in San Francisco, Monday, Oct. 26, 2026. (Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
Golden State Valkyries center Kiah Stokes (41) and forward Gabby Williams (1) and Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese (5) and forward Naz Hillmon (00) compete for a rebound during the first half of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball finals in San Francisco, Monday, Oct. 26, 2026. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
Golden State Valkyries center Kiah Stokes (41) knocks the ball away from Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese (5) during the first half of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball finals in San Francisco, Monday, Oct. 26, 2026. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese (5) and Golden State Valkyries center Kiah Stokes, left, compete for possession of the ball during the first half of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball finals in San Francisco, Monday, Oct. 26, 2026. (Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese (5) reacts after being called for a foul during the second half of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball finals against the Golden State Valkyries, Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
