The Tampa Bay Rays landed an early blow in Game 2, but the Milwaukee Brewers again showed that a four-run deficit has not been enough to derail their postseason. Milwaukee’s 5-4 win put the club two games ahead in a World Series between franchises still pursuing a first championship.

The accounts share the central sequence: Tampa Bay built a 4-0 first-inning lead against rookie Logan Henderson, only for Milwaukee to steadily close the gap. David Hamilton’s fourth-inning grounder made it 4-3, and Sal Frelick tied it in the sixth with a nine-pitch at-bat that ended in his first home run in three months.¹

The report from the first perspective frames the result principally as another example of Milwaukee’s comeback record. It notes that the Brewers had already erased a four-run deficit against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Championship Series and calls Saturday their seventh comeback victory of the postseason.¹ Tampa Bay’s defensive difficulties — one official error, two further misplays and a runner thrown out at the plate — compounded the pressure after its promising start.¹

The second perspective puts more weight on Frelick and the atmosphere around the club. After entering the game with four homers in 407 plate appearances this season, the right fielder said the Brewers’ response reflected a belief built over the playoffs: “As long as there’s game left, we have a chance.”² Frelick added that the lineup’s approach did not change when it fell behind: “We’re never out of it.”²

Cooper Pratt supplied the decisive hit in the seventh, looping a sinker into short right field to score Brice Turang. Abner Uribe then earned the win and Aaron Ashby finished the ninth for his third postseason save. Rays manager Kevin Cash said starter Drew Rasmussen “wasn’t as sharp as he’s been for quite some time.”²

Milwaukee has now won seven straight and heads to Tropicana Field for Monday’s Game 3. History favors the Brewers: 46 of the previous 57 teams to open a World Series with a 2-0 lead went on to win it.¹