Milwaukee Brewers: The swing that saved the season

As baseball fans, we have all watched some iconic films on this great game. Field of Dreams, The Sandlot, The Natural, for example. We all know about the scripted moments that happen in these films. Yesterday Milwaukee Brewers fans were able to witness a what seemed like a choreographed moment in real life.

To begin the day the Milwaukee Brewers would start 5 1/2 games behind the Cubs for the division and 2 1/2 games out of the second Wild Card spot. Saturday’s game was a must-win for the Brew Crew against the rival Chicago Cubs.

To make this game much more interesting, the Brewers were coming off of three straight losses when the Rockies had also lost. They did not gain any ground in either race.

Of course, during the first two Cubs games, there were some questionable calls, to say the least. There was the “did Sogard get pushed off of second base in the 10th inning dilemma?”, and let’s not forget the awful strike zone of the first game in the series.

A pitchers’ duel between soft tossing Ivy League grads, Brent Suter and Kyle Hendricks, would take center stage in this crucial game for Milwaukee. Both pitchers did well. Suter’s final line of sox hits, two strikeouts and one earned run in 5 1/3  innings was enough to keep the Brewers in the game. Hendricks tossed six ininngs and allowed eight hits and one earned run while striking out six. Needless too say the pitching was no the story line of this game.

Orlando’s ninth inning blast

Fast forward to the Brewers half of the ninth inning, the score was 2-to-1 in favor of the Cubs. At the plate was phenom shortstop Orlando Arcia, who has shown some sneaky pop this season.

Cubs closer Wade Davis on the hill looking to convert yet another save. Davis was perfect… until the crack of the bat.  Arcia sent the ball down the left field line and Matt Vasgersian made the call, “No one has realized that Arcia has just tied the game off of Wade Davis!”

The score was all tied up going into the tenth inning. The Brewers called on Jeremy Jeffress in a big spot and the Cubs red-hot offense got the best of the fatigued reliever. Thankfully the damage was limited to one run.

The Mayor’s Moment

In the bottom of the tenth, the stage was set for Ryan Braun with the Brewers down a run. We all remember in 2008 when Braun went deep against the Chicago Cubs to get the Brewers in position to clinch the Wild Card later that day. Was this his time to shine yet again?  Well, kind of. Braun sent a rope down the right-field line for a  double.

With Braun representing the tying run, Travis Shaw came to the plate. Shaw worked the count to 1-0. He hacked at a hanging curveball with the Brewers season hanging in the balance. Shaw sent one over the wall to walk off the Chicago Cubs in the tenth inning!

With voices lost all over Wisconsin, the victory would get even sweeter later in the day when we learn that the Cardinals and the Rockies would lose. To end the day the Milwaukee Brewers would find themselves 4 1/2 games out of the division and only one game back in the second Wild Card.

Next: How realistic is the second Wild Card?

Was this win a sign from the baseball gods that the Milwaukee Brewers are starting a winning streak? Let’s all hope so. Until the season is over, the Brewers are still in this. We all know that this team will fight until the last pitch is thrown.