Brewers take 2-0 World Series lead over Rays in first Fall Classic since 1982
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The gist
The Milwaukee Brewers erased a 4-0 deficit to beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-4 in World Series Game 2.
The franchise, in its first World Series since 1982, has never won the title.
Background
The Milwaukee Brewers are an MLB club that reached the World Series for the first time since 1982, when they lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games. They got there by sweeping the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS (the National League Championship Series) after beating the San Diego Padres 3-1 in the NLDS (Division Series), following a franchise-record 103-win regular season. Their opponent, the Tampa Bay Rays, had the best record in the American League at 98-64 and are also seeking their first World Series win. The Brewers have never won a World Series.
How it unfolded
- Sep 5, 2026Infielder Luis Peña, the Brewers' No. 2 prospect, fractured his fibula stealing third base; surgery followed on Sept. 24, with a typical six-to-nine-month recovery and an expected 2027 return.
- Oct 2, 2026First baseman Andrew Vaughn was activated from the 10-day injured list.
- Oct 11, 2026The Brewers set their NLCS roster; Trevor Megill pitched a scoreless inning to finish a 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 at American Family Field in Milwaukee.
- Oct 23, 2026The Brewers set their World Series roster and beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 in Game 1 at American Family Field, with Jacob Misiorowski starting.
- Oct 24, 2026In Game 2 at American Family Field, Brice Turang doubled in the seventh and the Brewers erased a 4-0 deficit to win 5-4 before 43,245 fans, taking a 2-0 series lead.
- Oct 26, 2026On the off day in St. Petersburg, manager Pat Murphy, Aaron Ashby and Brice Turang held press conferences ahead of Games 3, 4 and 5 (if needed) against the Rays.
- Oct 27, 2026A report said Brewers fans broke an MLB record two games into the World Series against the Rays.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Manager Pat Murphy said of the comeback, "These guys just don't give up. They believe, and they don't give up."
- Official
- Murphy said on the off day that contrived antics to create a game probably have to come from within the players, and that the team still shows rust from the long layoff.
- Expert
- The Athletic reporters Andy McCullough and Will Sammon wrote that the Brewers believe they will have more money at their disposal after the World Series run, according to people not authorized to speak publicly.
- Public
- Marissa Werner, director of sports Milwaukee at Visit Milwaukee, said there's not a person in the community or state without some memory of going to a Brewers game, and the team has meant so much to the city.
Still unverified
The Brewers' belief that they will have more money after the World Series run comes from people not authorized to speak publicly because the revenue tally had not been finalized. Murphy also said he doesn't know if the review of the overturned call at second base got it right, though he assumes it did.