Brewers force Game 7 for World Series berth
MILWAUKEE — Ryan Braun slid across home plate and raised his arms in sheer joy.
A big lead, a bruising bullpen and a boisterous crowd have the Milwaukee Brewers all set up for Game 7.
Jesus Aguilar sparked Milwaukee’s slumping lineup with three RBIs on a pair of two-out hits, and the Brewers beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-2 on Friday night to even the NL Championship Series at three games each.
“I don’t think about me. The most important thing, at the end of the day, is win games,” said Aguilar, who had driven in just two runs in the playoffs. “Tomorrow, it can be somebody else. Tonight, it was me.”
Game 7 is tonight in front of the same frenzied crowd that booed Manny Machado vociferously after he tangled with Aguilar while the series was in Los Angeles. Dodgers rookie Walker Buehler faces journeyman Jhoulys Chacin, with well-rested relief ace Josh Hader looming in the bullpen for Milwaukee after a surprise day off.
It’s the first Game 7 for the Brewers since losing to St. Louis in 1982 in their only World Series appearance.
The Dodgers dropped Game 7 of the World Series last year to Houston.
“Got to get them tomorrow. We got one more game,” Machado said. “They played good baseball today. So, we just got to play a better one tomorrow.”
David Freese led off this Game 6 with a home run that quieted Miller Park — but just for a moment.
Backed by raucous fans waving yellow towels that read “ONE TOUGH CREW,” Milwaukee rebounded from consecutive losses at Dodger Stadium with the same formula it used to win the NL Central during a breakout season.
Some timely hitting by Aguilar and company produced an early lead, and Corey Knebel and Jeremy Jeffress led the way in another shutdown performance by Milwaukee’s tough bullpen.
“Anybody, anywhere, anytime,” Knebel said. “We’re ready to go.”
Los Angeles was looking for its second straight NL pennant and some time to prepare for the mighty Boston Red Sox in the World Series. But losing pitcher HyunJin Ryu was tagged for four runs in the first inning, two on a double by Aguilar that sent Braun sliding home.