Still alive
Brewers 4, Reds 3: Leaving home hopeful for playoffs
The Milwaukee Brewers took care of their business Thursday afternoon, wrapping up their 2017 regular-season home schedule with a 4-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
Now, things get interesting as the team heads to St. Louis.
The Brewers could return home as early as Sunday night, having just missed out on the postseason. Or, they might not be back for another week and a half if they were to win out, have everything else fall into place and wind up opening the National League Division Series in Los Angeles against the Dodgers.
“I told the guys last night to pack for 10 days,” manager Craig Counsell said before the game Thursday.
Brent Suter started and did his job by keeping the Brewers close through five innings, and rookie Brett Phillips continued his strong play in the final month by doubling in the goahead run in the sixth.
With the victory, the Brewers pulled to within two games of the idle Colorado Rockies in the chase for the second NL wild card. Milwaukee will need to sweep the Cardinals while also hoping Colorado loses at least two of three to the Dodgers in Los Angeles.
“I saw something like the
odds are 90-something percent for the Rockies to go to the postseason, but you never know,” said Suter.
Suter got some breathing room in the fifth, with Eric Sogard blooping a single to left to start. Neil Walker followed by doubling into the gap in rightcenter, and a misplay by Hamilton allowed Sogard to score and Walker to advance to third.
Ryan Braun, up next, singled up the middle to drive in Walker and the Brewers were up, 3-1.
The Reds rapped out five consecutive hits to open the sixth, chasing Suter and tying the game up at 3-3.
The Brewers grabbed the lead back in the bottom half thanks to some two-out production from Orlando Arcia, who drew a walk off Romano after falling behind 0-2, and Phillips, who doubled to the gap in right-center to make it 4-3.
Anthony Swarzak pitched a pair of scoreless innings in the seventh and eighth, and Corey Knebel tossed a 1-2-3 ninth to register his 39th save of the season.
After the final out, the team along with the coaching staff doffed their caps and saluted the crowd of 30,293, which returned the appreciation. Now, the hope is they’ll all see each other again in the playoffs.
“That was something I’ve never been a part of,” Knebel said. “It was definitely fun and kind of unexpected. I was just walking off the field and they were all clapping for us. That was a fun experience, just to have their support.
“No one thought we’d still be in the race the last three games left in the season. It’s been fun for everyone.” BEHIND THE BOX SCORE
First baseman Eric Thames was out of the lineup after fouling a ball hard off his right shin in the ninth inning on Wednesday. STAT SHEET
Knebel’s 39 saves tie him with Derrick Turnbow (2005) and Danny Kolb (2004) for fourth in a single season in franchise history. The last Brewers closer with more was Francisco Rodriguez, who had 44 in 2014. TAKEAWAY
The Brewers did what they needed to do, beating the pesky Reds to keep themselves within striking distance of the Rockies heading into the weekend. RECORD
This year: 84-75 (46-38 home; 38-37 away)
Last year: 71-88 ATTENDANCE Thursday: 30,293 2017 total: 2,558,722 (31,590 avg.)
Last year: (28,575 avg.) NEXT GAME
Friday: Brewers at Cardinals, 7:15 p.m. Milwaukee RHP Chase Anderson (11-4, 2.81) vs. St. Louis RHP John Gant (0-0, 3.65). TV: FS Wisconsin. Radio: AM-620. 2,314,614