Sal Frelick delivered an unexpected spark in Game 2 of the World Series, helping the Milwaukee Brewers rally to a 5-4 win and move within two victories of the first championship in franchise history as the series heads to Florida.
Frelick had hit only four home runs in 407 plate appearances during the regular season, but the Milwaukee right fielder ended a three-month drought by launching a game-tying homer Saturday. Cooper Pratt then supplied the go-ahead single in the seventh, completing the Brewers’ comeback from a four-run deficit.
“Honestly, it feels like we’ve been trailing early in almost every game throughout these playoffs,” Frelick told Fox Sports after Milwaukee secured its seventh comeback victory of the postseason.
Tampa Bay, a team that reached the AL pennant by capitalizing on opponents’ errors, struggled to protect its lead. The Rays committed one official error, made two additional defensive mistakes and had a runner cut down at home plate.
Milwaukee fell behind 4-0 in the opening inning before steadily chipping away, marking the seventh time this postseason the Brewers have erased a deficit to win. They previously overcame a 4-0 hole against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 4 of the NL Championship Series, a victory that completed a four-game sweep.
“If there’s still a game to play, we believe we have a chance,” Pratt said. “We’ve all embraced that mindset. We’re never out of it.”
Sal Frelick celebrates as he rounds the bases after tying Game 2 of the World Series with a home run
Rays third baseman Junior Caminero watches after Tampa Bay surrendered its Game 2 lead Saturday
One night after dropping the World Series opener 3-2, the Rays jumped on rookie Logan Henderson for an early advantage. Milwaukee answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning against Tampa Bay ace Drew Rasmussen and began its comeback.
David Hamilton brought the Brewers within one run with an RBI groundout in the fourth. In the sixth, Frelick battled through a nine-pitch at-bat against Ian Seymour before sending a fastball over the center-field wall to tie the game.
The World Series excitement has also taken over Milwaukee. Saturday’s crowd reached 43,245, exceeding capacity, while MLB officials told team owner Mark Attanasio that the Brewers have sold more merchandise than any club in postseason history.
Frelick had gone 103 plate appearances without a home run since connecting off Pittsburgh’s Braxton Ashcraft on July 11. He also had not homered against a left-handed pitcher since opening day, when he took Tyler Gilbert of the Chicago White Sox deep. After Saturday’s blast, Frelick circled the bases in 18.72 seconds—far quicker than some of the dramatic home run trots seen this postseason.
“I was just excited to get back into the dugout,” Frelick said. “I don’t hit many home runs, especially to center field, so I was happy to see it clear the fence.”
The Milwaukee Brewers celebrate their Game 2 comeback after falling behind 4-0 in the first inning
The crowd at Milwaukee’s first World Series since 1982 made its energy unmistakable during the seventh-inning stretch. Fans danced and sang along to the “Beer Barrel Polka,” performed by Clinton, Wisconsin, accordionist Mike Schneider.
Brice Turang opened the bottom of the seventh with a double against Tyler Wells, the eventual losing pitcher. He moved to third on Garrett Mitchell’s flyout to right, then scored when 22-year-old Pratt—who made his major league debut in June—sent a sinker from Kevin Kelly into shallow right field for the go-ahead hit.
“It feels like we’ve been behind early in a lot of these playoff games,” Frelick said. “But with nine innings ahead of us, our approach doesn’t change. We try to take something from the pitcher each at-bat, hand the opportunity to the next hitter and trust that the runs will follow.”
Abner Uribe earned the win after throwing 1 1/3 hitless innings.
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Tampa Bay threatened in the ninth when Jonny DeLuca doubled off Aaron Ashby. Victor Mesa Jr. struck out after failing to hold his swing, while pinch-hitter Ben Williamson grounded out to move the runner. Yandy Díaz then ended the game by striking out on a full-count pitch after another unsuccessful check swing.
Ashby now has three postseason saves and has yet to surrender a run.
Milwaukee Brewers fans wave towels prior to Game 2 on Saturday night in Wisconsin
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.
‘Just felt like he wasn’t as sharp as he’s been for quite some time,’ Rays manager Kevin Cash said.
Abner Uribe #45 of the Milwaukee Brewers reacts as he walks back to the dugout after being pulled against the Tampa Bay Rays during the eighth inning
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.