Sweeping into NLCS
Miley, Kratz help red-hot Brewers eliminate Rockies
DENVER — The 38year- old j ourneyman catcher spotted his Brewers teammates spilling out of the dugout. Erik Kratz then saw his reliever standing alone.
So he took off for Josh Hader to give him “the biggest hug. Because you celebrate all your celebrations. Because you never know if you’re going to get another one,” Kratz said.
Wade Miley pitched masterfully into the fifth inning before turning it over to a lights-out bullpen, Kratz kept up his torrid hitting and the Brewers blanked the Rockies 6-0 in Game3onSunday to sweep their NL Division Series.
The Brewers have won 11 straight dating to the regular season and advance to their first NL Championship Series since 2011.
“One at a time, man,” MVP candidate Christian Yelich said. “That’s what we’ve been saying, one at a time. Focus on the now.”
With manager Craig Counsell making all the right moves, the pitching staff held Nolan Arenado, Trevor Story and the Rockies to two runs and 14 hits in the series.
“The story of the series for us was certainly our pitching,” Counsell said.
Making his postseason debut, Miley toughed out the elements — he wore short sleeves when the temperature was 46 degrees — and was even tougher on Rockies hitters. The left-hander allowed three hits in 4 2/3 innings.
A procession of five relievers allowed one hit the rest of the way. With two on, Hader got Ian Desmond to fly out to end the ninth Catcher Erik Kratz, left, and reliever Josh Hader celebrate after the Brewers swept the Rockies three straight. Brewers win 3-0 G1: Brewers 3, Rockies 2 (10) G2: Brewers 4, Rockies 0 G3: Brewers 6, Rockies 0 and start an on-field celebration.
Kratz helped by going 3-for-4 with a double Sunday and 5-for-8 in the series.
“I really feel like I’ve played my last game for the last 12 years because the game doesn’t owe anybody anything,” Kratz said. “When you understand that, you appreciate these times more than anything else.”
The Rockies were shut out twice in the series and hit .146. Their three AllStars — Story, Arenado and Charlie Blackmon — finished the series with a combined five hits.
“We fought, but we might not have played our best,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “Part of it is how the opposition played.”