MLB Playoffs: Brewers Sweep Rockies NLDS, Face Dodgers NLCS
The Milwaukee Brewers entered the 2018 MLB Playoffs on an eight-game winning streak and swept the Colorado Rockies out of the NLDS.
Manager Craig Counsell skillfully used the Brewers’ dominant bullpen to neutralize the impressive Rockies lineup. Most mlb.com and ESPN experts did have the Milwaukee Brewers beating the Rockies or Cubs in the NLDS to advance in the MLB playoffs.
Despite no dominant starting pitcher, Counsell has made pitching a strength for the Brewers.
“Largely, we’re trying to get away from what the word ‘starter’ and ‘reliever’ means,” Counsell said about his plans to navigate the 2018 MLB Playoffs with his pitching staff, “We’re going to share outs a little more.”
A great example of this strategy helped the Brewers in Game 1 of the NLDS.
NLDS Game 1: Milwaukee Brewers Overcome Rockies Best Effort
The media called much attention to the Rockies chaotic travel schedule leading up to Game 1 of the NLDS versus the Milwaukee Brewers, especially in Denver.
From @EliasSports: Last time team played 4 games in 4 cities against 4 different teams in 5 days was August 1922. Philadelphia Phillies
— Patrick Saunders (@psaundersdp) October 4, 2018
Now #Rockies
But the Rockies put up a great fight in Game 1 of the NLDS. They showed great pride despite what could have been a tired group.
Counsell put his pitching strategy to work in Game 1 and everything went right early. Two young pitchers who spent 2018 up and down from the MLB and Minor League clubs “opened” that first game.
Brandon Woodruff and Corbin Burnes gave the Milwaukee Brewers five innings of zero runs and one hit baseball.
Furthermore, the Brewers and fans watched Christian Yelich hit yet another home run in the third inning that placed momentum firmly in Milwaukee’s grasp.
The Rockies almost made a heart-pounding comeback when they knocked around Brewers Jeremy Jeffress in the ninth inning to force extra innings.
When Brewers fan-favorite Mike Moustakas ripped a game-winning shot to win the game in the tenth, it could have saved the entire series for Milwaukee.
Colorado’s offense looked like it was pressing. The first five hitters in its powerful lineup mustered only one hit against the Brewers on the day. Nolan Arenado, David Dahl, Trevor Story, and Carlos Gonzalez all struck out multiple times each.
NLDS Game 2: Milwaukee Brewers Shutout Colorado Rockies In Close Game
In Game 2, the Brewers nurtured a 1-0 lead until the eighth inning. The Milwaukee Brewers used Regular Season starting pitcher Jhoulys Chacin to begin this game. Despite leaving more pitches up in the zone than normal, Chacin mustered five shutout innings.
Brewers hitters got as cold as the Rockies until the eighth inning. Moustakas continued his clutch work as a Brewer by singling in a run. Then, 38-year-old Brewers catcher Erik Kratz ripped a two-run single to give Milwaukee key insurance runs for Jeffress.
Counsell went right back to Jeffress in Game 2 despite his issues in Game 1. This time, Jeffress closed the door on the Rockies and secured the shutout with a two-inning save.
The Rockies hoped to get one of the first two games of the NLDS at Miller Park. Arenado’s bat woke up. He went 2-4. Unfortunately for Colorado, Blackmon and Story went a combined 0-8 in front and in back of Arenado.
The Rockies left nine runners on base and struck out ten times as a team.
After walking off the Rockies in Game 1 and adding an important RBI single in Game 2 of the NLDS, MIke “Moose” Moustakas is growing more and more on Brewers fans. Moose made it sound like he would be in favor of signing his end of a $15m mutual option for 2019.
“I like it here. The team is together. The coaching staff is together. The training staff is together. We have a good time here every single day,” Moose said about sticking around for another year.
If Brewers General Manager David Stearns kept 2018 MLB Playoffs NLDS hero Moustakas, however, it would take some other manipulating of the roster.
Heading back to Colorado for Game 3 of the NLDS, the Rockies still had confidence that strong young studs German Marquez and Kyle Freeland could rejuvenate the team and bring the series back to Miller Park for a Game 5.
Milwaukee Brewers Make Colorado Rockies First NLDS Casualty
Instead of picking up a home-field adrenaline rush in Coors Field, Rockies bats remained in slumberland for Game 3 of the 2018 NLDS.
Brewers manager Counsell went with Wade Miley in Game 3. Also on the Brewers roster was Freddie Peralta who had a huge 13-strikeout game at Coors field earlier this season.
The Colorado Rockies only scratched four hits off of Wade Miley and the Brewers bullpen in the deciding game of the 2018 MLB Playoffs NLDS.
Perhaps Peralta would have been used in game four against the Rockies and Kyle Freeland in game 4. That, however, was a game not needed.
The other Brewers rookie pitcher, Corbin Burnes, did appear in Game 3 of the NLDS. Burnes threw two good innings and gave up zero runs. The Brewers Triple-A affiliate for 2018 was in Colorado Springs where Burnes spent some time during the 2018 season.
Perhaps, Counsell felt comfortable using Burnes in Colorado because of his experience with the thin air in the minors.
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Marquez gave up two runs in five innings, whereas Miley shutout the Rockies over 4.2inn.
Miley owns a career ERA of 4.26, but he shredded hitter to the tune of a 2.57 ERA this season with Milwaukee. Fangraphs analysis shows it all comes down to Miley’s sharp new cut-fastball.
Jesus Aguilar launched a big home run off of Marquez in the fourth. Aguilar will need to start hitting again for the Brewers to compete in the NLCS, so this was a positive sign. As it was, Aguilar and leadoff hitter Lorenzo Cain combined for less than a .215 OBP in the NLDS.
Cain and Aguilar’s production will be something to follow heading into the NLCS.
Furthermore, unlike the Colorado Rockies, the Dodgers typically do not swing and miss at as many pitches as the Rockies did in the NLDS.
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The matchup between the Milwaukee Brewers flame-throwing bullpen and the LA Dodgers more patient platoon system should lead to entertaining MLB playoffs baseball.
On the other side, the Brewers bats will have to find a way to get at the Dodgers great starters early in games so their bullpen can come in with the lead.