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The Tampa Bay Rays came into Game 2 of the World Series down a game. Five batters into Game 2 on Saturday night, they had turned their mood around.

Liam Hicks gave the Rays a 4-0 lead in the first inning with a 411-foot, two-run homer off Logan Henderson at American Family Field. It was the first home run of the series.

Henderson needed 35 pitches to get three outs.

The Brewers right-hander had been nearly untouchable at home, 8-0 with a 1.83 ERA in 12 career starts. The Rays, with a Game 2 they couldn't afford to lose, didn't care.

Rays Lineup

1. Yandy Diaz – DH
2. Jonathan Aranda – 1B
3. Chandler Simpson – LF
4. Junior Caminero – 3B
5. Liam Hicks – C
6. Richie Palacios – 2B
7. Jonny DeLuca – CF
8. Victor Mesa – RF
9. Taylor Walls – SS

SP: Drew Rasmussen – RHP

Brewers Lineup

1. Jackson Chourio – LF
2. Jake Bauers – 1B
3. Christian Yelich – DH
4. William Contreras – C
5. Brice Turang – 2B
6. Garrett Mitchell – CF
7. Cooper Pratt – SS
8. Sal Frelick – RF
9. David Hamilton – 3B

SP: Logan Henderson – RHP

Broadcast info

Time: 8:00 PM EDT
TV: FOX / FOX ONE, Fox Deportes
Radio: ESPN Radio

Frelick and Pratt lift Brewers to 5-4 comeback win over Rays and 2-0 World Series lead originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Sal Frelick tied the score with his first home run in three months, Cooper Pratt hit a go-ahead single in the seventh inning and the Milwaukee Brewers stunned the Tampa Bay Rays 5-4 on Saturday night for a 2-0 World Series lead by overcoming a four-run deficit for the second time in the postseason.

Tampa Bay, which won the AL pennant by forcing opponents into mistakes, committed one error, made two other misplays that could have been charged as errors and had a runner thrown out at the plate.

Down 4-0 in the first inning, Milwaukee rallied for its seventh comeback win of this postseason. The Brewers also rebounded from a 4-0 deficit to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-4 in Game 4 of the NL Championship Series, completing a four-game sweep.

After losing Friday’s opener 3-2, the Rays burst ahead against rookie Logan Henderson but the Brewers started to claw back with two runs in the bottom half against Tampa Bay ace Drew Rasmussen.

David Hamilton cut the deficit to 4-3 with a run-scoring grounder in the fourth and Frelick capped a nine-pitch at-bat against Ian Seymour in the sixth by driving a fastball over the center-field fence.

Frelick had gone 103 plate appearances without a home run since his July 11 drive off Pittsburgh’s Braxton Ashcraft and had not gone deep against a lefty pitcher since opening day against Tyler Gilbert of the Chicago White Sox. Frelick sped around the bases in 18.72 seconds, half the time of some theatrical trots this postseason.

Screaming fans at the second game of Milwaukee’s first World Series since 1982 were fired up during the seventh-inning stretch, dancing to the “Beer Barrel Polka” played by Mike Schneider, an accordionist from Clinton, Wisconsin.

Brice Turang doubled against losing pitcher Tyler Wells on the second pitch of the bottom half, advanced on Garrett Mitchell’s flyout to right and scored when Pratt, a 22-year-old who debuted in June, looped a sinker from Kevin Kelly into short right field.

Abner Uribe pitched 1 1/3 hitless innings for the win.

Jonny DeLuca doubled off Aaron Ashby starting the ninth, then Victor Mesa Jr. struck out when he couldn’t check his swing. Pinch-hitter Ben Williamson’s groundout advanced the runner and Yandy Díaz struck out when he couldn’t check his swing on a full-count pitch.

Ashby has three saves in the postseason while not allowing a run.

Milwaukee won its seventh straight game, becoming the fifth team to twice overcome four-run deficits for victories in a single postseason and the first since Philadelphia in 2022.

Game 3 of the matchup between teams seeking their first title is Monday night at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, where the Brewers last played in 2023.

Of the 57 previous teams to take 2-0 World Series leads, 46 claimed the championship.

Tampa Bay took a 4-2 lead in the highest-scoring Series first inning since 1993’s Game 4 as teams combined for seven hits, tying the most in an opening frame.

Still, Milwaukee improved to 13-0 in games started by Henderson, dating to his 2025 debut. He followed Jacob Misiorowski in the Brewers’ rotation, the first time teammates 24 or younger started the first two games of the Series since Cincinnati’s Gary Nolan and Ross Grimsley in 1972.

Henderson started on 11 days’ rest and struggled as the Rays fouled off 13 of 35 pitches in the first. He gave up four runs — three earned — in three innings.

Given an extra day of rest, Rasmussen allowed three runs and six hits over 3 2/3 innings in his shortest start since July 9.

Pratt made his fourth error of the postseason at shortstop, the Brewers’ ninth in 10 games, bouncing his throw past first baseman Jake Bauers on a leadoff grounder by Díaz. Chandler Simpson and Junior Caminero followed with RBI singles, and Liam Hicks hit a two-run homer.

Jackson Chourio and Bauers started the bottom half with singles and first baseman Jonathan Aranda allowed Contreras’ one-out foul pop to bounce out of his mitt near netting in front of the seats.

With Bauers running on a full-count pitch, Contreras bounced an RBI single to the left of second baseman Richie Palacios, who had taken a step toward the base. Mitchell’s two-out single cut the deficit to 4-2.

Hamilton hit an RBI grounder in the fourth that bounced under Aranda’s legs for an error.

Chourio threw out Hicks from left for the final out of the sixth when third base coach Brady Williams waved the slow-footed catcher to try to score from second on Mesa’s single.

Up next

Rays RHP Freddy Peralta, who became a two-time All-Star when he pitched for the Brewers from 2018-25, starts Game 3. He was the AL Championship Series MVP and is 2-0 with a 1.08 ERA in three postseason starts and one relief appearance. He will be opposed by Brewers LHP Robert Gasser, who allowed one run over nine innings in his first two postseason starts.

Frelick and Pratt lift Brewers to 5-4 comeback win over Rays and 2-0 World Series lead originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Sal Frelick tied the score with his first home run in three months, Cooper Pratt hit a go-ahead single in the seventh inning and the Milwaukee Brewers stunned the Tampa Bay Rays 5-4 on Saturday night for a 2-0 World Series lead by overcoming a four-run deficit for the second time in the postseason.

Tampa Bay, which won the AL pennant by forcing opponents into mistakes, committed one error, made two other misplays that could have been charged as errors and had a runner thrown out at the plate.

Down 4-0 in the first inning, Milwaukee rallied for its seventh comeback win of this postseason. The Brewers also rebounded from a 4-0 deficit to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-4 in Game 4 of the NL Championship Series, completing a four-game sweep.

After losing Friday’s opener 3-2, the Rays burst ahead against rookie Logan Henderson but the Brewers started to claw back with two runs in the bottom half against Tampa Bay ace Drew Rasmussen.

David Hamilton cut the deficit to 4-3 with a run-scoring grounder in the fourth and Frelick capped a nine-pitch at-bat against Ian Seymour in the sixth by driving a fastball over the center-field fence.

Frelick had gone 103 plate appearances without a home run since his July 11 drive off Pittsburgh’s Braxton Ashcraft and had not gone deep against a lefty pitcher since opening day against Tyler Gilbert of the Chicago White Sox. Frelick sped around the bases in 18.72 seconds, half the time of some theatrical trots this postseason.

Screaming fans at the second game of Milwaukee’s first World Series since 1982 were fired up during the seventh-inning stretch, dancing to the “Beer Barrel Polka” played by Mike Schneider, an accordionist from Clinton, Wisconsin.

Brice Turang doubled against losing pitcher Tyler Wells on the second pitch of the bottom half, advanced on Garrett Mitchell’s flyout to right and scored when Pratt, a 22-year-old who debuted in June, looped a sinker from Kevin Kelly into short right field.

Abner Uribe pitched 1 1/3 hitless innings for the win.

Jonny DeLuca doubled off Aaron Ashby starting the ninth, then Victor Mesa Jr. struck out when he couldn’t check his swing. Pinch-hitter Ben Williamson’s groundout advanced the runner and Yandy Díaz struck out when he couldn’t check his swing on a full-count pitch.

Ashby has three saves in the postseason while not allowing a run.

Milwaukee won its seventh straight game, becoming the fifth team to twice overcome four-run deficits for victories in a single postseason and the first since Philadelphia in 2022.

Game 3 of the matchup between teams seeking their first title is Monday night at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, where the Brewers last played in 2023.

Of the 57 previous teams to take 2-0 World Series leads, 46 claimed the championship.

Tampa Bay took a 4-2 lead in the highest-scoring Series first inning since 1993’s Game 4 as teams combined for seven hits, tying the most in an opening frame.

Still, Milwaukee improved to 13-0 in games started by Henderson, dating to his 2025 debut. He followed Jacob Misiorowski in the Brewers’ rotation, the first time teammates 24 or younger started the first two games of the Series since Cincinnati’s Gary Nolan and Ross Grimsley in 1972.

Henderson started on 11 days’ rest and struggled as the Rays fouled off 13 of 35 pitches in the first. He gave up four runs — three earned — in three innings.

Given an extra day of rest, Rasmussen allowed three runs and six hits over 3 2/3 innings in his shortest start since July 9.

Pratt made his fourth error of the postseason at shortstop, the Brewers’ ninth in 10 games, bouncing his throw past first baseman Jake Bauers on a leadoff grounder by Díaz. Chandler Simpson and Junior Caminero followed with RBI singles, and Liam Hicks hit a two-run homer.

Jackson Chourio and Bauers started the bottom half with singles and first baseman Jonathan Aranda allowed Contreras’ one-out foul pop to bounce out of his mitt near netting in front of the seats.

With Bauers running on a full-count pitch, Contreras bounced an RBI single to the left of second baseman Richie Palacios, who had taken a step toward the base. Mitchell’s two-out single cut the deficit to 4-2.

Hamilton hit an RBI grounder in the fourth that bounced under Aranda’s legs for an error.

Chourio threw out Hicks from left for the final out of the sixth when third base coach Brady Williams waved the slow-footed catcher to try to score from second on Mesa’s single.

Up next

Rays RHP Freddy Peralta, who became a two-time All-Star when he pitched for the Brewers from 2018-25, starts Game 3. He was the AL Championship Series MVP and is 2-0 with a 1.08 ERA in three postseason starts and one relief appearance. He will be opposed by Brewers LHP Robert Gasser, who allowed one run over nine innings in his first two postseason starts.

The Brewers successfully held serve in the World Series opener, though it certainly got a bit tense there in the ninth inning, as Tampa had the tying run in scoring position with one out. It ended up as the 11th one-run game this post-season. That’s still a long way off the MLB postseason record for those: in 2016, there were sixteen contests decided by the narrowest of margins. The Giants took all three of their wins in the NLDS against the Nationals by that margin. However, the record likely belongs to the 1972 A’s. Of their seven wins on the way to the title that year, all but the NLCS Game #2 were by one run. Indeed, of the 12 games they played, ten were decided by the smallest possible margin.

This year, the Brewers have played five one-run games, going 4-1, while the Rays have four, and a 2-2 record. Here’s to more exciting baseball tonight in Milwaukee.

• Tampa Bay Rays @ Milwaukee Brewers (0-1): 5 pm, FOX

The opening game of this series was a good one! The Brewers won 3-2, but the Rays had the go-ahead runner on base, and came pretty close to stealing it. Instead, they are down 1-0 with their ace on the mound and an expectation of tying things up tonight.

This is a game where both teams will feel like a win is vital. As mentioned, Tampa has their top arm on the mound. Losing here, and going down 2-0, would feel like quite a hole from which to recover.

Milwaukee, on the other hand, is the higher seed. If they just win their home games, then they will win the series. Leaving the friendly confines with only a split and Freddy Peralta awaiting them in Game 3 in St. Pete on Monday would not be ideal either.

On a local note, Towson University product Richie Palacios will be starting at second base for the Rays tonight, becoming the first former Tiger to appear in the Fall Classic. As a TU alum myself, I think that’s pretty cool.

Rays at Brewers, 8:00 p.m., FOX

Brewers lead series 1-0

RHP Drew Rasmussen (2-0, 1.29 ERA) vs. RHP Logan Henderson (0-0, 3.00 ERA)

Does Drew Rasmussen hold any ill will towards his old team? Doesn’t seem like it.

“Had the Brewers been playing anyone else in the World Series,” Rasmussen said, “man, I’d be rooting for them.”

That makes sense. Rasmussen knows a lot of people in that organization. They drafted him out of Oregon State back in 2018, and he debuted in the majors for them in 2021. But then they dealt him to the Rays as part of the Willy Adames deal, and the rest is history.

The 31-year-old righty has been key to the Rays playoff run. He has a 1.29 ERA over 21 innings this postseason, including a pair of impressive starts in the ALCS. Another good outing tonight would help his new team even up the World Series at one game apiece.

Logan Henderson is at a different point in his career. The 24-year-old has made two starts for the Brewers in the playoffs, which have totaled nine innings. In those innings he has allowed six runs, but only three of them were earned. His manager Pat Murphy probably won’t push the rookie too hard. They will get what they can, hoping to still be in the game in the event that Rasmussen deals on the other end.

Rays Lineup

1. Yandy Díaz, DH
2. Jonathan Aranda, 1B
3. Chandler Simpson, LF
4. Junior Caminero, 3B
5. Liam Hicks, C
6. Richie Palacios, 2B
7. Jonny DeLuca, CF
8. Victor Mesa Jr., RF
9. Taylor Walls, SS

Brewers Lineup

1. Jackson Chourio, LF
2. Jake Bauers, 1B
3. Christian Yelich, DH
4. William Contreras, C
5. Brice Turang, 2B
6. Garrett Mitchell, CF
7. Cooper Pratt, SS
8. Sal Frelick, RF
9. David Hamilton, 3B

Is there going to be any meat left in the Great Lakes region when Payton Tolle leaves? After tailgating with Brewers fans yesterday, Tolle joined Miguel Rojas in eating what appears to be a giant beef short rib. The Midwest, ladies and gentlemen.

In on-field news, the Rays will attempt to even the series behind Drew Rasmussen, who has basically been an automatic win for Tampa for the past few months. But Logan Henderson and his sub-3 2026 ERA will be leading the Brew Crew.

Coverage begins at 8 PM on FOX, with first pitch shortly thereafter.

Game one of the World Series was fun to watch (though I watched at a bar, so anything would have been fun). Close games are more fun.

I’m out most of the night, so I’m missing this one.

I’d like a seven series.