Brewers rally past Rays to take 2-0 World Series lead
Milwaukee erased a four-run deficit to beat Tampa Bay 5-4 in Game 2, moving within two wins of its first championship.
Milwaukee overcame an early four-run hole to defeat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-4 in Game 2 of the World Series at American Family Field, giving the Brewers a 2-0 series advantage. Sal Frelick tied the game with a sixth-inning home run, and rookie Cooper Pratt delivered the go-ahead RBI single in the seventh inning.
The Rays built a 4-0 lead in the first inning on a home run by Liam Hicks and a series of hits against starter Logan Henderson, who had not allowed more than three runs in any regular-season start. Henderson was removed after allowing four runs, and the Rays’ starter Drew Rasmussen lasted only 3 2/3 innings before being pulled following a defensive error that cut the lead to 4-3.
Milwaukee responded with timely hitting, including singles by Jackson Chourio, Jake Bauers and William Contreras, and an RBI single by Garrett Mitchell that reduced the deficit to two runs. The Brewers continued to press, loading the bases and scoring the tying run on Frelick’s home run before Pratt’s decisive single put them ahead.
The game ended on a disputed check-swing call at home plate. After catcher William Contreras appealed, first-base umpire James Hoye ruled that Tampa Bay’s Yandy Díaz had not completed his swing, resulting in the final out.
The victory places the Brewers among a short list of teams that have rallied from multiple four-run deficits in a single postseason and makes them the second team to win six postseason games without scoring first. The Rays, which had a strong record when scoring four or more runs early, now trail the series 0-2.