Brewers' lethal stolen base attack on full display in win over Athletics

Yesterday morning, I published an article speculating that the current Milwaukee Brewers roster could steal more than 12 bases in a single game and break the 1976 Oakland Athletics record for most team steals in a single game in the live ball era. At the time, the claim seemed slightly outrageous. After all, the Athletics' record has stood for nearly 50 years, with only one team (the 2000 Florida Marlins) posting 10 steals or more in a single game since the year 2000. However, on Sunday afternoon, the Brewers showed they were capable of at least threatening the record.

By stealing nine bases in their 14-1 series finale win against the Athletics, the Brewers set a new franchise record for team stolen bases in a single game, a record that had stood at eight since 1992. Led by Brice Turang, who had three stolen bases on his own, the Brewers displayed their team-wide base stealing ability, with six different players swiping a bag: Turang, Christian Yelich, William Contreras, Rhys Hoskins, Sal Frelick, and Caleb Durbin.

Brewers' base-stealing frenzy makes seemingly unattainable record more realistic

No, the Brewers didn't quite reach the 13 stolen base mark required for them to pass the '76 Athletics, but they clearly showed that they have the ability to do so. The team's stolen base attack slowed in the later innings, as the Brewers' lead surpassed the 10-run mark. In fact, the Brewers didn't steal a single base after Durbin's record-setting steal with no outs in the fourth inning, meaning the Brewers set their new franchise record in less than half a game.

In a closer contest, the Brewers could easily have continued the aggressive base-running display that they showed in the first four innings of Sunday's game throughout the entire nine innings, putting the '76 Athletics' record squarely in reach.

Regardless of records, Sunday's win proved that the Brewers' strategy of getting on base and wreaking havoc on the base paths continues to result in success. Not only does it increase the number of at-bats that the team has with runners in scoring position, but it puts pressure on opposing pitchers who are forced to think about the player on base, distracting them from the current at-bat.