Brewers’ lineup springs to life just in time to force Game 7
MILWAUKEE — Ryan Braun slid across home plate and raised his arms in sheer joy. A big lead, a bruising bullpen and a boisterous crowd got 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 Friday night to even the NL Championship Series at three games each. Game 7 was set for Saturday night in front of the same frenzied crowd that booed Manny Machado vociferously after he tangled with Aguilar while the series was in Los Angeles. It was 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.
David Freese led off this Game 6 with a home run that quieted Miller Park — but just for a moment. Backed by raucous fans, 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 Hyun-Jin Ryu was tagged for four runs in the first inning, two on a double by Aguilar that sent Braun sliding home.
After Wade Miley pitched into the fifth inning in his second straight start — he faced only one batter in Game 5 — Knebel, Jeffress and Corbin Burnes closed it out with hitless relief. Knebel got the win and Burnes retired the Dodgers in order in the ninth, setting off a wild celebration for the crowd of 43,619.
Manager Craig Counsell considered bringing in Josh Hader, especially in the eighth, but Aguilar scored on a wild pitch in the seventh and singled in Lorenzo Cain in the eighth. The extra room helped persuade Counsell to give Hader another day of rest.
Freese drove in both runs for the Dodgers. The rest of the Los Angeles lineup managed three singles. Hounded by boos all night long, Machado went 0 for 4.