Brewers’ Golden Touch Puts Rays on Brink in World Series

Segment Spotlight: Quick Hits From Game Time Decisions

Brewers Capitalize on Rays’ Miscues as Their Golden Touch Continues

Tampa Bay was a strong defensive team during the regular season, but it has encountered a few early issues. Milwaukee has consistently put balls in play, forced the Rays to make plays and taken advantage of their miscues.

That has been a theme for the Brewers since August. Everything they touch seems to turn to gold. They enter each series prepared, develop a game plan for their opponent and execute it. They also do the little things well, which helps them win one-run games.

Even after falling behind by four runs, Milwaukee shut Tampa Bay down for the rest of the game and capitalized on every opening. What the Brewers have accomplished down the stretch has been fascinating.

Milwaukee has also benefited from some luck. The Brewers are 6-1 when trailing, an unusual record in this sport. Their success should not be dismissed, but sometimes it is better to be lucky than good.

The series may not be over. The Rays were the best team in the American League at home all year, and there is still reason to believe they can win at the Trop. At the same time, it is difficult to imagine the Brewers losing three consecutive games.

Milwaukee currently has the golden touch of a World Series team. Everything that goes well for the Brewers becomes more significant, while every mistake by their opponent is magnified. If Milwaukee wins the World Series, it will deserve to be called the best team in baseball.

Sports often come down to one play in the final moments. The Rams’ close losses to the Bills, Philadelphia and Arizona illustrate how differently a season can look when last-second outcomes go the other way. There is hope this series reaches Game 6, but it would also be understandable to believe it could end in Saint Pete.