Chaos didn’t just return for the Milwaukee Brewers Tuesday night— it took over the game.
The Brewers flipped a quiet night into a momentum avalanche, storming back with six unanswered runs to take down Tampa Bay, 6-2, in a game defined by bizarre plays, replay drama, and relentless pressure.
Early on, it looked like the Rays were in control.
Brandon Woodruff took the mound for Milwaukee but quickly found himself trailing. After nearly giving up a long ball to Yandy DÃaz that curled foul, Woodruff regrouped with a strikeout. That reset didn’t last long. Jonathan Aranda crushed a solo homer into the bullpen, putting Tampa Bay ahead 1-0.
Woodruff settled in from there. He struck out six across five innings, allowing just four hits and two runs. His pitch count climbed to 67, but his velocity ticked up as the outing progressed — a positive sign despite the early damage.
On the other side, Shane McClanahan looked dominant in his long-awaited return.
Making his first MLB start since 2023, McClanahan carved through Milwaukee’s lineup with ease. He retired the first nine hitters and carried a no-hit bid into the fifth inning. The only blemish early was a walk to Gary Sánchez, but otherwise, the left-hander was in complete control.
That changed fast.
The fifth inning unraveled everything.
Sánchez worked another walk to open the frame, and Brandon Lockridge followed by breaking up the no-hitter with a clean single. After a flyout, Joey Ortiz drew a walk to load the bases. That set the stage for Brice Turang — and the turning point.
Turang punched a single into shallow right, driving in two runs. What followed turned chaotic. Trying to stretch the play, Turang got caught in a rundown, but the ball popped loose during the tag attempt. Initially ruled out, Milwaukee challenged. Replay showed the ball was never secured.
The call flipped. Turang was safe. Ortiz crossed the plate. Suddenly, it was a three-run swing — and a 3-2 Brewers lead.
McClanahan’s night ended there. His final line: 4 2/3 innings, three runs (two earned), two hits, three walks, four strikeouts.
Milwaukee wasn’t done.
In the sixth, Sánchez delivered again, launching his second homer of the season to extend the lead. Moments later, another controversial call sparked laughter across the field.
Jake Bauers appeared safe at first on a routine play, but first base umpire CB Bucknor ruled he missed the bag — despite not watching the base. Milwaukee challenged again, and replay quickly overturned the call.
Given new life, the Brewers capitalized.
Bauers stole second, and Lockridge ripped an RBI double into the gap. Defensive miscues piled up for Tampa Bay, allowing Milwaukee to keep pressure on every inning.
The bullpen handled the rest.
Jared Koenig, Grant Anderson, and Abner Uribe combined to hold the Rays in check. Tampa Bay threatened in the eighth, bringing the tying run to the plate, but Sal Frelick tracked down a deep fly near the line to shut the door.
Bauers added insurance in the eighth, hammering a solo shot just over the right-field wall to make it 6-2.
Angel Zerpa closed it out in the ninth, working around a late walk to seal the win.
Milwaukee’s offense didn’t overwhelm with volume — it overwhelmed with timing.
Bauers and Lockridge each finished with two hits and an RBI. Turang’s lone hit drove in two, with a third run scoring during the chaos. Sánchez reached base four times, pairing his home run with two walks. Frelick chipped in as well, contributing both defensively and at the plate.
Now, the series comes down to the finale.
Milwaukee turns to Jacob Misiorowski in the rubber match, while Tampa Bay counters with Drew Rasmussen. First pitch is scheduled for 12:40 p.m. as both teams look to take the series — and regain control after one of the strangest games of the early season.