The Tampa Bay Rays came out swinging in Game 2 of the World Series. Catcher Liam Hicks crushed a two-run home run in the first inning at American Family Field, capping a four-run opening frame as the Rays jumped to an early 4-0 lead over the Milwaukee Brewers — and later extended it to 4-2 — in their bid to even the series.
Liam Hicks (Credits: ESPN)
Liam Hicks Home Run Gives Rays Early World Series Game 2 Lead
Hicks, a 27-year-old Toronto native, picked the perfect moment for his first career postseason home run. With the Rays already up 2-0 in the first, he drilled a belt-high cutter from Brewers starter Logan Henderson to right field for a two-run blast — the first home run of the 2026 World Series.
It was sweet redemption for Hicks. In Game 1, he went 0-for-4 but still drove in Tampa Bay’s only two runs of the night, as the Rays fell 3-2 to Milwaukee in a ninth-inning thriller. Acquired from the Miami Marlins at the trade deadline, Hicks hit .288 with four home runs down the stretch and has quickly become a key piece of Tampa Bay’s lineup.
World Series Game 2: Rays vs Brewers Early Score
The four-run first inning set the tone. Chandler Simpson and Junior Caminero each drove in runs before Hicks’ blast, chasing early momentum firmly to the Rays’ side. Milwaukee answered with two runs of their own, but Tampa Bay’s fast start put the Brewers — who lead the series 1-0 — firmly on the back foot for the first time in the Fall Classic.
Game 1 had already delivered a classic. Milwaukee survived a wild ninth inning in which a potential game-ending double play was overturned on replay, allowing Tampa Bay to score and bring the tying run into scoring position before Trevor Megill struck out Jonny DeLuca to seal the 3-2 win.
Now the Rays are hunting a split before the series shifts, and Hicks’ early blast has given them exactly the start they needed.
Also Read: ‘That’s Who We Are’: Rays Won’t Ease Up on Basepaths After Game 1 World Series Miscues
Source: ESPN — read the full story there.