On a Saturday night in Milwaukee, a team that had been nearly unbeatable from behind kept faith with its habit of refusing to fold, climbing out of a 4-0 hole to beat Tampa Bay 5-4 and take a two-game lead in the World Series. Asked whether they dared to dream of a title, the Brewers would not say so out loud, yet every word they spoke betrayed a longing they could not quite hide. Their story sits within the old human tale of a club that learns, one at-bat at a time, that the game is never settled until the last out. Halfway to a first championship in franchise history, they have made the impo
Brewers Keep Rallying Late, Lead Rays 2-0 in World Series After Another Comeback
On a Saturday night in Milwaukee, a team that had been nearly unbeatable from behind kept faith with its habit of refusing to fold, climbing out of a 4-0 hole to beat Tampa Bay 5-4 and take a two-game lead in the World Series. Asked whether they dared to dream of a title, the Brewers would not say so out loud, yet every word they spoke betrayed a longing they could not quite hide. Their story sits within the old human tale of a club that learns, one at-bat at a time, that the game is never settled until the last out. Halfway to a first championship in franchise history, they have made the impossible feel ordinary, and that is precisely what should unsettle the Rays.
Saturday night at American Family Field, the Brewers were pressed again and again by reporters about whether they dared to think about a championship. They wouldn't say it aloud. But after a 5-4 win over Tampa Bay, they stand two games to none in the World Series, halfway to the first title in franchise history.
Brandon Woodruff, with the club since 2014, admitted the thought is hard to resist, even as he quoted Kobe Bryant that the job is not finished. They are human, he said, so how could they not think about it?
The game began badly. Milwaukee trailed 4-0 after five batters against Drew Rasmussen, who had been nearly unbeatable since August. The offense made him work, and he was gone after three and two-thirds innings.
The turning point came in the sixth, when Sal Frelick, who had not homered off a left-hander since opening day, drove a 403-foot shot over the center-field fence to tie the game. It was the first home run of this Series for Milwaukee, and it sent Bernie Brewer sliding down his chalet before a home crowd for the first time in October. Frelick, who had only 21 career homers, said he had never hit a ball he thought was gone.
The bullpen finished the job. Aaron Ashby has gone 15 and two-thirds innings without allowing a run, and the relievers carry a 1.24 ERA this postseason.
The comeback habit has become a record in itself: seven straight postseason wins from behind, and a 28-0 shutout run after trailing in those games. The players shrug at the miracle talk. Manager Pat Murphy said simply that they believe and never quit. Now the series shifts to Tampa Bay, where the Rays must find a way to stop a team that seems to expect to win.
Saturday night at American Family Field, the Milwaukee Brewers were asked again and again, by a crowd of reporters in their clubhouse, whether they were letting themselves think about a championship. They declined to say. But after a 5-4 win over the Tampa Bay Rays, they lead the World Series two games to none, halfway to the first title in franchise history.
Brandon Woodruff, the longest-tenured Brewer, with the organization since 2014, admitted the pull is real. His brain wants to go there, he said, but he can't allow it, and he invoked Kobe Bryant's line that the job is not finished. Then he added the honest part: they're human, so how can they not think about it?
The game followed a pattern by now familiar. Milwaukee trailed 4-0 after just five batters, facing Drew Rasmussen, who had been the hottest pitcher in baseball. He had a 1.05 ERA in September and a 1.29 ERA in October, and had been unbeatable since August. This time he lasted only 3 ⅔ innings, his shortest outing since July 9 against the Yankees. Sal Frelick described the offense's approach: when you go down four against a pitcher that good, you wear on him, get him out of the game, reach the bullpen and break it open.
The turning point came in the sixth. Frelick, who had not homered off a left-hander since opening day, drove a 403-foot shot over the center-field fence against lefty Ian Seymour to tie the game, with 43,245 fans roaring. It was the Brewers' first home run of this World Series, and it let mascot Bernie Brewer slide down his chalet in front of a home World Series crowd for the first time. Frelick had hit only four homers in the regular season and 21 in his four-year career. He rounded the bases in 22 seconds, nearly half the time Rays third baseman Junior Caminero took on his most recent homer. He said it was a blackout feeling, and that he has never hit a ball he thought was gone. Told about Bernie, he said he had only made the mascot slide four times all year. He and Seymour had faced each other in college, Frelick at Boston College and Seymour at Virginia Tech.
Teammates marveled. Jake Bauers said he had never seen Frelick hit a dead-center homer even in batting practice. Hitting coach Daniel Vogelbach gave him the benefit of the doubt, noting some power. Brice Turang said Frelick is stronger than people think and called it everyone's favorite swing of the season.
The bullpen did the rest. Milwaukee's relievers carry a 1.24 ERA this postseason. Aaron Ashby has gone 15 ⅔ innings without allowing a run and is the first pitcher in postseason history to record at least five outs in six straight appearances without giving up a run. Woodruff called him an absolute stud excelling at the right time.
The numbers around the comeback habit are striking. In seven postseason wins in which Milwaukee trailed, they were behind by a combined 20-5 and then outscored opponents 28-0 the rest of the way. In two of their last three postseason games, they erased a 4-0 deficit, outscoring the Dodgers and Rays 11-0 in those games. They are the first team in postseason history to win seven of their first eight games in which they trailed. Along the way they have beaten Cy Young winners Tarik Skubal, Blake Snell and Robbie Ray, World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and now Rasmussen.
The players don't treat it as a miracle. David Hamilton said he feels the win probability is 100% every game, Turang said they want to win so badly that victory is never a shock, and Woodruff pointed to their 103 wins. Manager Pat Murphy said simply that they believe and don't give up. The Rays see it from the other side: Chandler Simpson said Milwaukee grinds every at-bat, and reliever Liam Hicks said they foul off pitches and spoil them until they get theirs.
The series now moves to Tampa Bay's side of the ledger, where the Rays must find a way to stop a team that, in Bauers' words, has a confidence he has never seen before.
Möchten Sie die ganze Geschichte?
Das Original lesen bei USA TODAY ↗
Sports