A championship had been long overdue for the Milwaukee Brewers. In 1982, the Brewers fell to the St. Louis Cardinals in a seven-game Fall Classic series. That marked the franchise’s only World Series appearance up to that point. After a 44-year drought, that would all change.
The Milwaukee Brewers finished the regular season with 103 wins and 59 losses. This gave them the best record in baseball. Finishing first in the NL Central earned the team its fourth straight division title. This success established the Brewers as serious championship contenders heading into the postseason.
The Brewers finished the regular season with a +214 run differential. They scored 832 runs and only allowed 618. That, plus the best record in baseball, earned the Brewers an immediate trip to the National League Division Series.
Three moments stood out as some of the most memorable parts of the Brewers’ championship run, each coming from a different series.Â
NLDS Moment
In Game 2 of the National League Division Series, the Brewers faced the San Diego Padres. Milwaukee trailed 3–2 in the bottom of the ninth. They were down to their final opportunity. San Diego brought in standout closer Mason Miller to close out the game. However, the Brewers started building momentum. They managed to load the bases with two outs, bringing Jackson Chourio to the plate.
On a 2–2 count, Chourio delivered an iconic moment in Brewers postseason history. It was also one of the biggest moments of his young career. He struck a line-drive single up the middle, past the second baseman. The hit scored both Christian Yelich and Sal Frelick. The walk-off hit gave Milwaukee a 4–3 victory and a 2–0 series lead. They headed to San Diego with two wins in the best-of-five series.
NLCS Moment
Up 2–0 against the Dodgers, the Brewers traveled to Los Angeles for Game 3 of the National League Championship Series. They trailed 2–1 in the top of the seventh inning. However, Milwaukee created a major offensive turning point in the postseason.
Andrew Vaughn drew a leadoff walk, bringing Jake Bauers to the plate. Bauers worked through an 11-pitch at-bat before delivering a huge moment. He launched a no-doubt home run into the right-field seats. This gave the Brewers a 3–2 lead. Garrett Mitchell then stepped up to the plate, and just two pitches later, he extended the lead with another home run. Mitchell sent the ball right back into the right-field seats, giving Milwaukee a 4–2 advantage.
The back-to-back home runs shifted the momentum in Milwaukee’s favor. It gave the Brewers a 3–0 lead in the NLCS. At that moment, the Brewers were just one win away from reaching the World Series.
World Series Moment
Down 4–0 early in the first inning of Game 2 of the World Series, the Brewers did what they had done throughout the postseason, chipped away at the deficit and found their way back into the game.
By the bottom of the sixth inning, Milwaukee had scored three runs. They trailed by just one. Sal Frelick led off and delivered one of the most unforgettable moments of his career. On a full count, Frelick launched a home run to deep center field. This tied the game at four apiece.
Frelick had hit only four home runs during the regular season. This made his World Series homer even more memorable. His hit helped build on the Brewers’ momentum, setting the stage for a 5–4 win over the Tampa Bay Rays. The victory gave the Brewers a 2–0 series lead in the World Series and helped them secure their first-ever World Series title.
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