Top Brewers Moments In Miller Park History: 2018 NLCS Game 6

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. Let’s continue with the story of Game 6 of the 2018 NLCS.

2018 NLCS Game 6 “The Machado Booing Game” (October 19, 2018)

Tension was high. The crowd was electric, not just because the Brewers were down 3-2 in the series and needed a win to force Game 7, but because of what happened out in the three games out in Los Angeles.

In a hard-fought Game 4, Dodgers third baseman Manny Machado deliberately kicked Brewers first baseman Jesus Aguilar in the ankle in an attempt to injure him out of Machado’s own frustration at the plate. Aguilar didn’t take too kindly to that. A scuffle broke out, benches cleared, and Milwaukee found an immediate hatred of Manny Machado.

Prior to Game 5, Machado did an interview where he said that he’s “not the type of player that’s going to be Johnny Hustle”. The villainy of Machado was solidified and Brewers fans would be sure to welcome him accordingly.

43,619 Brewers fans were there to welcome him, in fact. When they were going through the starting lineups on the scoreboard before the game, Machado’s name and picture drew thousands of boos. That was only a hint as to what would be coming.

Wade Miley was on the hill to start. The first batter he faced, David Freese, hit a home run to give the Dodgers a 1-0 lead. It was deja vu for Brewers fans who had seen Freese end our World Series hopes before in 2011 with the Cardinals.

After getting Max Muncy to ground out, Justin Turner hit a single and there was a man on and one out for Manny Machado.

The boos were deafening.

I have never booed louder in my life and I’ve never heard Miller Park boo anyone louder than he was in that at-bat. With every strike, every swing and a miss, the crowd cheered! Then immediately turned back to booing. Miley got the count to 1-2 and then struck him out.

Judging by the crowd, you would’ve thought the Brewers just won the World Series. Even if the Brewers won it all that year I’m not sure the crowd would’ve been louder than what they were for that Machado strikeout.

Still, we head to the bottom of the first and the Brewers were down 1-0. That wouldn’t last long.

Lorenzo Cain led things off with a single, and then Christian Yelich moved him over to second. After Ryan Braun walked and Travis Shaw struck out, there was two on and two out for the man Machado kicked in the ankle, Jesus Aguilar.

Aguilar roped a double into the right field corner! Cain and Braun came around to score and the Brewers took the lead! Karma’s a you-know-what, Machado!

Mike Moustakas followed with a double of his own to score Aguilar and then Erik Kratz singled to make it a 4-1 Brewers lead. The Brewers batted around in the first inning.

In the second inning, Yelich and Braun hit back-to-back doubles to make it a 5-1 lead.

Machado came up to the plate four times. He went 0-for-4 on this day, striking out twice. The crowd let him hear it on every single pitch. Miley got him to pop out to short his second time up.

Then Corey Knebel struck him out to end the fifth inning.

Finally, Corbin Burnes got him to ground out in the eighth inning to finish off his 0-4 day.

It takes a lot to get an entire city and fanbase to hate you with every fiber of their being, but Machado accomplished that rather quickly.

The Brewers added on a few more late runs with Aguilar scoring on a wild pitch in the 7th inning and driving home Lorenzo Cain in the eighth inning to finish the game off with a 7-2 Brewers victory. Aguilar accounted for five of the seven runs the Crew scored in Game 6, with three RBIs and two runs scored.

This only meant one thing.

Game Seven.

After the game, optimism was high and Ryan Braun told us “The louder the fans are, the better we will play.” We were loud, we were as loud as we’ve possibly ever been for that Game 6.

The impact of that game, turning the momentum of the series and taking the Brewers further than they got in 2011 and the farthest they made it in the postseason since 1982. They made it to Game 7 this time.

The most enjoyable part of that victory may have been the merciless booing of Machado. It was easy to see the booing was getting to him and he was getting frustrated. A job well done by the 43,619 Brewers fans in attendance.

Machado is always going to remember Miller Park that night. Everyone there will also always remember that night. On a national stage, we showed that Milwaukee was not to be messed with.

Stay tuned to Reviewing the Brew as we continue to look back on the top moments in Miller Park history.