The Milwaukee Brewers are two wins away from their first World Series championship, and the magic that has carried them throughout October shows no signs of slowing down.

 

Milwaukee erased another four-run deficit Saturday night, rallying past the Tampa Bay Rays 5-4 in Game 2 of the World Series at American Family Field. Sal Frelick delivered a game-tying home run in the sixth inning before rookie Cooper Pratt drove in the winning run in the seventh, sending the Brewers to St. Petersburg with a commanding 2-0 series lead.

 

The victory marked Milwaukee's seventh comeback win of the postseason, the most by any team in a single playoff run. It was also the Brewers' seventh consecutive victory, continuing a remarkable stretch that has put the franchise within reach of its first championship.

 

Tampa Bay jumped on rookie starter Logan Henderson for four runs in the opening inning, taking advantage of a throwing error by Pratt before Liam Hicks capped the rally with a two-run home run.

 

The Brewers immediately answered against former Milwaukee pitcher Drew Rasmussen, who entered the game as Tampa Bay's ace. William Contreras and Garrett Mitchell delivered RBI singles in the bottom of the first, cutting the deficit in half, 4-2.

 

Milwaukee continued to put pressure on Rasmussen, eventually forcing the Rays to turn to their bullpen in the fourth inning. David Hamilton brought home another run on a ground ball that Tampa Bay first baseman Jonathan Aranda mishandled, pulling the Brewers within one.

 

The biggest swing of the night came in the sixth.

 

Frelick worked a nine-pitch at-bat against Rays reliever Ian Seymour before sending a fastball over the center-field wall for a solo home run, tying the game at four.

 

It was Frelick's first home run since July 11, ending a drought of 103 plate appearances without going deep.

 

Then came Pratt's redemption.

 

After a costly first-inning throwing error helped Tampa Bay build its lead, Pratt found his redemption in the seventh. The rookie lined a single into shallow right field against Kevin Kelly, scoring Brice Turang and giving Milwaukee its first lead of the night, 5-4.

 

Milwaukee's bullpen protected the one-run advantage, with Abner Uribe earning the victory after throwing 1 1/3 hitless innings.

 

With the tying run 90 feet away in the ninth, Aaron Ashby faced Yandy Díaz in a full-count battle. Díaz attempted to hold up on the final pitch, but the checked swing was ruled a strike, ending the game in dramatic and controversial fashion.

 

Ashby earned his third save of the postseason and has yet to allow a run in the playoffs.

 

The victory gave Milwaukee its second comeback from a four-run deficit this postseason. The Brewers previously rallied from a 4-0 hole to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-4 in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series.

 

The Brewers will now head to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg for Game 3 on Monday, Oct. 26, with first pitch scheduled for 7 p.m. Central Time.

 

Milwaukee will start left-hander Robert Gasser, while Tampa Bay will counter with another familiar face, former Brewers ace Freddy Peralta.

 

After two narrow victories and another unforgettable comeback, Milwaukee is halfway to a World Series title.

 

And with the way this team keeps finding ways to win, the magic of October might just be carrying the Brewers toward something Wisconsin baseball fans have waited generations to celebrate.