The Milwaukee Brewers just pulled off another improbable comeback, winning Game 2 of the 2026 World Series 5-4 after falling behind the Tampa Bay Rays by four runs in the first inning. But while you have to hand it to the Brewers for their sheer will, this win feels less about their inevitability and more about the absolute, mind-numbing mistakes the Rays decided to make on the biggest stage.
Brewers: The Undeniable Kings of the Comeback
Let’s be real: the Brewers are redefining relentless right now. They were down 4-0 in the first, chipped away, and took the lead in the bottom of the seventh. This isn’t just a fluke, folks; it’s who they are. They are now 9-1 in the playoffs, and get this, seven of those nine wins have been come-from-behind victories. It started early, with the Padres taking early leads in both Game 1 and Game 2 of the NLDS, only for the Brewers to snatch both wins. Then, they did it in all four games of the NLCS against the two-time defending champion Dodgers, including an insane four-run rally in the Game 4 clincher.
The numbers are just wild. These Brewers, regular season and playoffs combined, are now 41-37 when the other team scores first. Sarah Langs confirms that no team has finished a season with a winning record in those situations since the 2009 Yankees. And here’s another jaw-dropper: they just became the fifth team in MLB playoff history to win multiple games after falling behind by at least four runs. Oh, and they’re only the third team ever to trail by four runs at home in the World Series and come back to win, joining the 2017 Astros and 2002 Angels. Brewers manager Pat Murphy summed it up perfectly after Game 2: “We’re down to the end of the season here. They’re going to tap us on the shoulder here at some point and tell us no more. Guys just, they don’t give up. They believe, and they don’t give up. They just keep going.”
The Rays’ Self-Inflicted Wounds Are Piling Up
But you can’t talk about Game 2 without shining a spotlight on the other side of this coin: the error-riddled performance the Rays put on. This cannot happen, especially against a team that refuses to quit like the Brewers. It was mistake after mistake, all seemingly gifting the Brewers runs.
In the bottom of the first, Jonathan Aranda botched an attempt to catch a foul ball. What happened next? William Contreras singled, and the Brewers scored twice. Fast forward to the bottom of the fourth, and Aranda let a weak grounder go right through his legs. Another run for the Brewers, cutting the deficit to 4-3.
Then, the absolute head-scratcher: in the top of the sixth, Liam Hicks was thrown out at home plate by Jackson Chourio after a single to left. Sure, you try to score with two outs, but Hicks was out by a country mile. This wasn’t just a bad decision; it was the fourth out on the bases the Rays have made in the World Series, and we are only in the middle of Game 2. That’s a staggering stat that speaks volumes about their current focus. To add insult to injury, Sal Frelick, who only hit four homers in the entire regular season, took one deep to tie the game. You give Frelick credit, but that was another moment that just can’t happen. And to cap it off, Chandler Simpson couldn’t hold on to a Christian Yelich pop fly in the sixth, putting runners at first and third with two outs.
The Brewers are showing the kind of grit that wins championships, but the Rays are making it far too easy for them. The next game is critical. The Rays need to clean up these colossal mistakes, and fast, or this World Series is going to slip away before they even realize what hit them.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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