PLAYER OF THE GAME
Pitcher Wade Miley has played an integral role in the Milwaukee Brewers’ postseason run, and he made his fourth start in the playoffs and third in the National League Championship Series on Friday night.
Despite allowing a first-inning home run, Miley shut down the Dodgers offense, allowing just two earned runs on five hits in 4 1/3 innings as the Brewers took Game 6, 7-2.
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In Game 5 of the NLCS, Miley faced just one batter, so he became the first pitcher to start in back-to-back games in a postseason series since George Earnshaw of the Philadelphia A’s started Games 5 and 6 of the 1930 World Series.
He also started Game 2 of the NLCS against the Dodgers but received a no decision in the Brewers’ 4-3 loss.
PLAY OF THE GAME
In the bottom of the first inning, Brewers first baseman Jesus Aguilar, who had been scuffling recently at the plate, hit an opposite-field double, scoring Lorenzo Cain (infield single) and Ryan Braun (walk). Aguilar entered the game hitting just .172 in the postseason.
FROM THE CLUBHOUSE
Before Game 6, Brewers outfielder Curtis Granderson made a trip to the dentist to get a chipped tooth fixed. He lost part of a right incisor in Game 5 at Dodger Stadium. The mishap occurred after Granderson’s helmet flew off and hit him in the mouth on a headfirst slide into second base after hitting a double. He’s taking the situation well, posting a tweet Friday:
Just like new, before & after. Big thanks to Doc Mykleby and his team for fixing me up. Also an update, the chipped tooth was in my lip and not on the field 😬Now, back to work. Let’s go @brewers! pic.twitter.com/NMYrNnMkQi
— Curtis Granderson (@cgrand3) October 19, 2018
PLAYOFF TIDBITS
- David Freese likes to hit against Milwaukee. Entering Friday’s game, the Dodgers infielder has 77 career hits against the Brewers, which is the third most against any opponent in his career. Freese, who is known for his postseason heroics, did it again Friday night in Game 6. Batting leadoff, he hit an opposite-field homer to give the Dodgers an early 1-0 lead. And just in case Brewers fans forgot, Freese hit a first-inning, three-run homer in Game 6 of the 2011 NLCS as his St. Louis Cardinals eliminated the Brewers at Miller Park.
- In the Brewers’ 4-0 win in Game 3, Milwaukee became the first opponent to pitch a shutout in the postseason at Dodger Stadium since the Philadelphia Phillies accomplished the feat in Game 1 of the 1983 NLCS. According to STATS, the Dodgers went 50 consecutive home playoff games before being shut out Monday, the second-longest streak in major-league baseball history behind the Boston Red Sox (61 games).
- The Brewers were in a spot similar to the 2011 NLCS against the St. Louis Cardinals, having split the first two games at Miller Park before losing two of three at Busch Stadium. The 2011 Brewers were routed, 12-6, by the Cardinals in Game 6 at Miller Park. St. Louis went on to win the World Series.
- In the Game 4 2-1 loss in 13 innings, Brewers relievers struck out 17 Dodgers batters, establishing a new postseason record. Freddy Peralta punched out six of the 17. The New York Mets struck out 16 in Game 5 of the 1999 NLCS against the Atlanta Braves.
- The last time the Brewers lost three consecutive games was to the Chicago Cubs (8-4 on Aug. 15) and St. Louis Cardinals (5-2 on Aug. 17; 7-2 on Aug. 18).
QUOTABLE
“It was in high school, back in 2010. I mean I was a pretty good hitter. But it was a lot of fun being in the box. It’s a good feeling. My hands were shaking. I was nervous.”
– Brewers relief pitcher Corey Knebel, on getting an at-bat (and striking out) in the fifth inning on Friday night.
(Photo of Wade Miley: Jon Durr / USA Today Sports)