MILWAUKEE, Wis. — The Milwaukee Brewers are now just two victories away from their first World Series championship in franchise history, and Saturday night’s Game 2 provided another example of the resilience that has defined their postseason run.
Trailing 4-0 before recording an out in the bottom of the first inning, Milwaukee rallied to defeat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-4 at American Family Field, taking a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven World Series.
Sal Frelick delivered a game-tying solo home run in the sixth inning before rookie Cooper Pratt completed the comeback with a go-ahead RBI single in the seventh. The victory marked Milwaukee’s seventh comeback win of the postseason and its second rally from a four-run deficit in consecutive playoff series. (ESPN)
Rays Jump Out to Early 4-0 Lead
Tampa Bay entered Game 2 looking to even the series following Friday night’s narrow 3-2 defeat. The Rays wasted little time establishing themselves offensively, putting four runs on the board in the opening inning against Brewers rookie starter Logan Henderson.
Chandler Simpson and Junior Caminero each delivered RBI singles before Liam Hicks launched a two-run home run into right-center field, giving Tampa Bay a 4-0 advantage.
With ace Drew Rasmussen taking the mound, the Rays appeared positioned to take control of the game. However, Milwaukee quickly demonstrated why overcoming early deficits has become a recurring theme throughout its postseason.
The Brewers answered with two runs in the bottom of the first inning, as William Contreras and Garrett Mitchell each contributed RBI hits to cut Tampa Bay’s lead in half.
Milwaukee’s immediate response prevented the Rays from settling into a comfortable rhythm and forced Rasmussen into a lengthy opening inning. (MLB.com)
Milwaukee Slowly Chips Away Before Frelick Delivers
The Brewers continued applying pressure over the following innings, consistently extending at-bats and forcing Tampa Bay’s pitching staff to work through difficult situations.
In the fourth inning, Milwaukee capitalized on a defensive mistake by Rays first baseman Jonathan Aranda, allowing Cooper Pratt to score and reduce the deficit to 4-3.
Rasmussen departed after just 3⅔ innings, having struggled to put away Milwaukee hitters despite entering the contest as one of Tampa Bay’s most reliable starting pitchers.
The turning point arrived in the sixth inning when Frelick stepped to the plate against Rays reliever Ian Seymour.
After battling through a nine-pitch at-bat, Frelick connected on a fastball and drove it 408 feet over the center-field wall, tying the game at four.
The home run was Frelick’s first since July 11, ending a drought of 103 plate appearances without leaving the yard. More importantly, it erased Tampa Bay’s remaining advantage and sent the American Family Field crowd into a frenzy. (ESPN)
Cooper Pratt Completes the Comeback
With the game tied entering the seventh inning, Milwaukee continued to capitalize on opportunities against Tampa Bay’s bullpen.
Bryce Turang reached scoring position before Pratt delivered the biggest hit of his young career, sending a single into right field to bring Turang home and give the Brewers their first lead of the evening, 5-4.
For Pratt, the moment carried additional significance after an early throwing error contributed to Tampa Bay’s four-run opening inning.
The rookie’s ability to recover from that mistake and deliver the decisive hit on baseball’s biggest stage reflected the composure Milwaukee has displayed throughout October.
The Brewers nearly added an insurance run in the eighth inning, but Jackson Chourio was thrown out at home plate. A replay review upheld the call, leaving Milwaukee with a narrow one-run advantage entering the ninth. (Reuters)
Milwaukee’s Bullpen Shuts Down Tampa Bay
While Milwaukee’s offensive comeback captured much of the attention, its bullpen was equally responsible for securing the victory.
Following Henderson’s difficult opening innings, the Brewers received six scoreless innings from their relief pitchers.
JoJo Romero, Dustin May and DL Hall each contributed scoreless appearances, while Abner Uribe recorded four outs and earned the victory.
Aaron Ashby handled the final five outs, escaping a ninth-inning threat after Tampa Bay advanced the potential tying run to third base.
Ashby secured his third save of the postseason and extended his scoreless postseason streak to 15⅔ innings.
The performance also highlighted Milwaukee’s extraordinary bullpen depth. Brewers relievers have now collected eight victories this postseason, matching the 2015 Kansas City Royals for the most relief wins in a single postseason. (Reuters)
Brewers Continue Remarkable Postseason Run
Saturday’s victory continued a remarkable stretch for Milwaukee, which has repeatedly found ways to win games despite falling behind early.
During the National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Brewers overcame another 4-0 deficit in Game 4, eventually winning 6-4 to complete a four-game sweep and advance to the World Series.
Now, just two games into the Fall Classic, Milwaukee has already demonstrated that its success extends beyond timely hitting and strong pitching.
The Brewers have consistently taken advantage of opposing defensive mistakes, worked deep into counts and relied on a bullpen capable of protecting narrow leads.
For Tampa Bay, Saturday’s defeat represented a particularly frustrating missed opportunity. The Rays entered the evening with an early four-run advantage and their ace on the mound, yet were unable to preserve either.
Historically, teams taking a 2-0 lead in the World Series have gone on to win the championship approximately 81% of the time, placing Milwaukee in a favorable position as the series shifts to Florida. (MLB.com)
Looking Ahead to Game 3
The World Series will resume Monday, October 26, at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, where Tampa Bay will attempt to avoid falling into a 3-0 series deficit.
For the Rays, the return home presents an opportunity to reset after consecutive one-run losses in Milwaukee. However, their pitching staff will need to find a way to limit the Brewers’ extended at-bats and capitalize on opportunities to close out innings.
Milwaukee, meanwhile, enters Game 3 carrying considerable momentum after winning the opening two games of the franchise’s first World Series appearance since 1982.
The Brewers have never won a World Series championship, falling to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games during their only previous appearance.
Forty-four years later, Milwaukee finds itself just two victories away from changing that history.
And after another comeback from four runs down, the Brewers have provided little reason to believe an early deficit will prevent them from getting there. (MLB.com)
