Top Brewers Moments In Miller Park History: 15 Inning Thriller vs. Pirates

With the renaming of Miller Park officially happening at year’s end, here at Reviewing the Brew, we’re going to remember the top Brewers moments in Miller Park’s history.

Starting on January 1st, the Brewers home stadium will no longer be called Miller Park, but instead will be called American Family Field. Despite fan uproar about the change, it’s going to happen. The stadium has been named Miller Park for 20 years and has brought some incredible memories to Brewers fans.

We are going to be remembering some of the most important moments that came from this stadium and tell the stories of these days.

15 Inning Thriller Vs Pirates (August 24th, 2018)

So, let me tell you a story, at least the high notes.

Game #1 of Players’ Weekend 2018 was a dramatic affair of twist and turns that took both Brewers and Pirates fans on a roller coaster ride of emotions over the 5 hours and 36 minute affair capped by an Orlando Arcia game winning single in the bottom of the 15th inning.

The Brewers kicked off the scoring, jumping out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning as Christian Yelich and Mike Moustakas both homered off starter Joe Musgrove.

Following the first inning outburst by the Brewers, the Pirates deployed five pitchers the remainder of the game to hold the Brewers offense idle at four runs and keep the game within striking distance.

In the top of the second the Pirates began to chip away as Adam Frazier singled off starter Wade Miley with two outs to score Starling Marte and Kevin Newman.

Frazier would again factor into the comeback as he led off the top of the sixth inning with a double off Josh Hader. Frazier advanced to third base on a flyball by Elias Diaz before scoring on a sacrifice fly by Gregory Polanco to pull the Pirates within a run, 3-4.

The early lead, which was characteristic of the 2018 Brewers, was wiped away in the top of the ninth when Marte singled off Jeremy Jeffress with runners on 1st and 2nd and two outs to score Polanco and tie the game, 4-4.

While extra innings had its moments, including a bases loaded battle in the top of the 10th where Matt Albers was able to get David Freese to ground out to end the inning, the Brewers were mostly dormant offensively until they had to score to win in the 15th.

The Pirates took the lead in the top of the 15th when Francisco Cervelli blooped a single between Jonathan Schoop and Yelich to score two runs as Schoop bobbled the ball in short right field. So now the Brewers are down 6-4 and down to their final three outs.

The stage is set for the bottom half of the 15th and it’s a seemingly improbable victory for the Brewers.

Yes, rookie right-handed reliever Clay Holmes did get Yelich out and strike out Ryan Braun on three pitches prior to facing Jordan Lyles but he also walked Jesus Aguilar and Hernan Perez. So when Lyles enters the batter’s box, with no bench options left to hit for him, the Brewers have two on with two outs.

Ask yourself, which one of these is more improbable?

A. Being down 6-4 with runners on first and second and two outs, your pitcher draws a walk in the 15th inning to keep the inning alive?

B. Down, 4-6 with the bases loaded, your 38-year old journeyman catcher drives in two runs on a 1-2 count with two outs to tie the game in the 15th inning?

C. Or with the game tied 6-6 your shortstop, who had struggled offensively all season during 2018 punches a single into right field to score your pitcher from second and beat the throw of Gregory Polanco?

Regardless of your answer and what is truly more improbable, all these events happened for the Brewers to win the game. What makes the story even more unlikely is all these things had to happen in the 15th inning with 2 outs for the Brewers to battle back and defeat the Pirates 7-6 on August 24, 2018.

This game helped further push momentum on the Brewers side in their quest to win the NL Central division in 2018. The craziness of going 15 innings, being down two runs and the series of events that led to the victory make this one of the all-time best moments in Miller Park history.

Truly as a Brewers fan in honor of the 19th century poem, The Night before Christmas, Orlando Arcia was able to wish us all “a good night”.