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.
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.