A 4-0 deficit in the first inning is not impossible to overcome, but it’s certainly not something you want to get into. It’s definitely not something you want to have happen when the opposing team is starting their ace. However, despite being in that situation against the Rays’ Drew Rasmussen, the Brewers managed to overcome their early deficit, coming all the way back and hanging on, opening up a two-game lead in the World Series.
World Series Game 2
Milwaukee Brewers 5, Tampa Bay Rays 4
(Brewers lead series 2-0)
The
game started with quite a bang. It took just three batters for the Rays to get on the board, as Yandy Díaz led off the game by reaching on an error, which also allowed him to move up to second and score on a Chandler Simpson single. Simpson then used his speed to steal second and score on a Junior Caminero single. Liam Hicks then delivered the big blow, homering off Logan Henderson to give the Rays an early four-run lead.
Milwaukee chipped away at that deficit in the bottom of the inning, though. Jackson Chourio and Jake Bauers started the bottom of the first with two singles, and ended up scoring on William Contreras and Garrett Mitchell singles respectively.
After that, the Brewers had opportunities nearly early every inning, but it seemed like they would just keep coming up short. They got another run back in the fourth as Cooper Pratt scored on an error, having walked a couple batters earlier. However, the Brewers also left the bases loaded in the frame.
Despite not fully cashing in against him, the Brewers’ offense did manage to chase Rasmussen from the game after just 3.2 innings, having worked him for 89 pitches in that time. He’s obviously very good, but it turns out it is possible to get more than one hit against him, Yankees.
Following a host of chances, Milwaukee finally evened things up in the sixth when Sal Frelick led off the inning with a home run. It was his first since July 11th and just his fifth of the year overall.
The comeback was finally completed in the seventh. Brice Turang led off the bottom of the frame with a double, and tagged and moved up on a fly out in the next at-bat. Pratt then dropped in a single, giving the Brewers their first lead of the game.
The Rays had some chances themselves, but they were kept off the board altogether following their big first inning. They had runners on in the second, fourth, fifth, and seventh innings, but failed to cash in, which allowed the Brewers to chip away.
Finally in the ninth, Tampa Bay had one last opportunity when Johnny DeLuca doubled to lead off the inning. He ended up 90 feet away with two out and Yandy Díaz at the plate. After he worked the count full against Aaron Ashby, Díaz was rung up for a game-ending strike three that he thought he held up on. You can make the call for yourself.
Even if the call was harsh, the Rays still only have themselves to blame for blowing a big early lead in the first place. As for the Brewers, their comeback win put them in some rare company in MLB history.
