Brewers Erase Four-Run Deficit to Stun Rays 5-4 and Take 2-0 World Series Lead: Frelick Homer, Pratt's Go-Ahead Hit

The Milwaukee Brewers erased a four-run deficit to stun the Tampa Bay Rays 5-4 on Saturday night and take a 2-0 lead in the World Series.

Sal Frelick tied the score with his first home run in three months, and Cooper Pratt hit a go-ahead single in the seventh inning to complete the comeback.

Milwaukee were down 4-0 in the first inning. It was their seventh comeback win of this postseason; they 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.

Tampa Bay, who 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.

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 centre-field fence.

Frelick had gone 103 plate appearances without a home run since his 11 July drive off Pittsburgh's Braxton Ashcraft, and had not gone deep against a left-handed pitcher since opening day. He sped around the bases in 18.72 seconds.

Brice Turang doubled against losing pitcher Tyler Wells on the second pitch of the bottom of the seventh, 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 one and one-third hitless innings for the win. Aaron Ashby closed the ninth after Jonny DeLuca's double, striking out Victor Mesa Jr and Yandy Díaz. Ashby has three saves in the postseason without allowing a run.

Milwaukee won their 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.

This is Milwaukee's first World Series since 1982, and both teams are seeking their first title. Game 3 is Monday night at Tropicana Field in St Petersburg, Florida, where the Brewers last played in 2023.

History favours the Brewers: of the 57 previous teams to take 2-0 World Series leads, 46 went on to claim the championship.