Tag Archives: NLDS

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2018 Season

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When thinking about the Milwaukee Brewers within the last decade, it’s common for fans to remember the 2018 season. 2018 was a memorable year for Milwaukee Brewers fans and holds a special place in hearts all across the country. This 2018 season from the Milwaukee Brewers consisted of MVP level play from Christian Yelich, the greatest rivalry game in franchise history, and postseason success and failure.

Christian Yelich tipping his cap to Milwaukee Brewers fans
  • When people think of that 2018 season, one of the first things that comes to mind is Christian Yelich’s MVP season. Christian Yelich was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers from the Miami Marlins in exchange for a few young prospects. Yelich had won the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards with his time in Miami and was a player that was very underappreciated in Miami. Immediately, Yelich made a huge impact for the Brewers and made his first All-Star appearance. Christian Yelich had a phenomenal second half of the 2018 season which put himself in the MVP, Most Valuable Player, conversation. Yelich led the league in batting average and OPS, On-Base + Slugging Percentage. He ended up winning the MVP award and led Milwaukee to their first postseason appearance since 2011. Christian Yelich had also won the Silver Slugger award in 2018 due to his great hitting season. Yelich put Milwaukee on the map and helped lead the Milwaukee Brewers to a ton of success both in the regular season and the postseason. 
  • There was one specific moment that was very memorable for Brewers fans during the 2018 season. Game 163 in specific, was one of the greatest games ever in Milwaukee Brewers history. Heading into the game, the Milwaukee Brewers hadn’t won the NL Central division since 2011 and they would face off against the Chicago Cubs in an extra elimination game to determine the winner of the NL Central division. Both teams were tied with 95 wins during the regular season and had the opportunity to beat their divisional rivals in order to secure a division clinching win. Jhoulys Chacin started on the mound for the Milwaukee Brewers as they traveled to Chicago. The game started off slow until the top of the third inning, in which Christian Yelich hit an RBI single to score Orlando Arcia to take the lead 1-0. This game was low scoring and was a battle that went on back and forth with the Milwaukee lead looking promising. But, in the bottom of the fifth inning, Anthony Rizzo for the Chicago Cubs hit a solo home run which tied the ball game. It wasn’t until the top of the eighth inning where another run was scored. Thanks to Lorenzo Cain and Ryan Braun, the Milwaukee Brewers were able to score two additional runs creating a 3-1 lead in the eighth inning. With a chance to win the NL Central division, there was lots of tension, especially playing at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Eventually, there was a fly ball in the bottom of the ninth inning, which had a chance to carry beyond the stadium but was caught by outfielder Keon Broxton to win the game and clinch the NL Central division.
Ryan Braun and Orlando Arcia shaking hands in Game 163
  • Much of the success in the regular season was appreciated, but won’t be remembered as well as their success in the postseason. The Milwaukee Brewers won the NL Central division which clinched a playoff spot. They would end up playing against the Colorado Rockies in the National League Divisional Series. This was a best of five series with the chance to advance to the National League Championship Series. Milwaukee hosted game one and two and utilized home field to their advantage. In game one, the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Colorado Rockies on a walk off hit by Mike Moustakas. This really set the tone for the rest of the series as Milwaukee was able to come out on top in game two as well in Milwaukee. Milwaukee was up 2-0 in the divisional series with a chance to advance to the NLCS. They had to travel to Colorado in game three as they faced a tough Rockie’s crowd. Milwaukee shut them out completely and hit numerous home runs, winning 6-0 and advancing to the NLCS. The Milwaukee Brewers faced the Los Angeles Dodgers in a seven game series with the chance to advance to the World Series. Milwaukee started off the series hot with a game one victory. The series went back and forth as both teams took games from one another. The series was eventually tied at 3-3 as both teams headed back to Milwaukee with a chance to advance to the World Series. Christian Yelich started off game seven with a solo home run. Shortly after, Cody Bellinger for the Los Angeles Dodgers hit a two run home run to take the lead for LA. This game was a battle as both teams had opportunities to score runs but were unable to close the game until Yasiel Puig came to the plate. With two runners on base, Puig hit a monster home run which scored three runs and created a four run lead for Los Angeles. Eventually the Brewers lost, as the Los Angeles Dodgers were heading to the World Series. This was devastating for Brewers fans and it hurt even more because of how close they were to achieving the final destination.

The 2018 season was remarkable in many aspects and is memorable for all Brewers fans. While they didn’t quite achieve the goal of winning a World Series, they were able to make it to game seven of the NLCS which is incredibly impressive. Considering different aspects including MVP play from Christian Yelich, a historic rivalry game, and fantastic postseason success, I would say this season was ultimately a success. This season set the stage for multiple postseason appearances in the future and created a winning culture in Milwaukee. This season was an important step for the Milwaukee Brewers franchise as it set the stage for future years to come. 

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2011 Season

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One of the greatest seasons from any Milwaukee Brewers team was the 2011 MLB season. This season was the year that I started watching Brewers baseball and still standouts as some of the best baseball I have ever watched. This season consisted of great team chemistry along with the franchise’s first division title since moving to the National League. In this article, I will highlight the dynamic duo consisting of Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder, the phenomenal pitching staff, and the greatest walk off hit in franchise history.

Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder Celebration
  • The 2011 season was led by two incredibly talented players, Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder. Ryan Braun was the starting left fielder and Prince Fielder was the starting first baseman for the Milwaukee Brewers. Prince Fielder placed third in the MVP, Most Valuable Player voting while Ryan Braun took first place in MVP voting. They had two of the top three players in 2011 and were incredible offensively. Ryan Braun had a batting average of .332 along with 33 home runs and 111 RBIs. Prince Fielder had a batting average of .299 along with 38 home runs and 120 RBIs. Both were offensive threats for opposing pitchers and led the Milwaukee Brewers to one of the best offenses in all of Major League Baseball.
  • While the Milwaukee Brewers were known for their incredibly top heavy offensive talent, they had a group of pitchers that were spectacular for the Brewers. Pitchers such as Yovani Gallardo, Zack Greinke, and John Axford were crucial for their team success. The National League Cy Young Award is given to the best pitcher in the National League. Yovani Gallardo placed seventh and John Axford placed ninth in NL Cy Young voting. Yovani Gallardo was the best starting pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers throwing a 3.52 ERA, Earned Runs Average, while throwing for 207.1 IP, Innings Pitched. John Axford was the best relief pitcher in the National League as he possessed a 1.95 ERA along with 46 saves which tied for first in the National League. Along with having two of the top ten pitchers in the National League, they acquired Zack Greinke at the trade deadline who was incredible during his time in Milwaukee. Greinke had the sixth most wins by a pitcher and the seventh most strikeouts in the National League.
Photo of John Axford
  • While this season had many memorable moments, there is one moment that tops them all. The Milwaukee Brewers played the Arizona Diamondbacks in game five of the National League Divisional Series. The winner of this game would advance to the National League Championship Series which would determine who would advance to the World Series. Winning this game was very important for the Milwaukee Brewers as they hadn’t had much overall success as a franchise so it was vital they come out on top. The game was very close and low scoring as heading into the ninth inning, the Milwaukee Brewers led the game two to one. Though the Brewers needed only three outs, they were unable to sustain their lead. The Diamondbacks scored one run in the ninth inning which tied up the ballgame. Heading into the tenth inning, the momentum was all towards Arizona but the Brewers held them to zero runs in the tenth inning and had an opportunity to walk it off. Craig Counsell, former player and now manager for the Brewers, led off the inning and flew out to right field. Then Carlos Gomez hit a single up the middle and shortly after, stole second base. Now with a runner in scoring position, the Milwaukee Brewers had a chance to win. Nyjer Morgan, who was having a bad series offensively, came up in the most clutch way possible, with an RBI single up the middle of the field that scored Carlos Gomez and sent the Milwaukee Brewers to the NLCS. This hit is the most memorable and impactful hit throughout the entirety of this beloved franchise. 

The 2011 season is a season that will go down in history as one of the biggest “what ifs” as they ended up losing in the NLCS to the St. Louis Cardinals. While it didn’t end in a World Series appearance, it was still very much a successful season. From having elite hitters to spectacular pitching performances, the Milwaukee Brewers were able to win the National League Central division for the first time since joining the National League in 1998. This season will always hold a special place in my heart and has given fans hope for many years to come.