Jake Bauers topped previous career best at-bat by embodying Brewers' mantra

During Game 2 of the Milwaukee Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers' NLCS rematch, which the Brewers won 7-4 despite trailing at three different points throughout the contest, no at-bat may have been more important than Jake Bauers' 12-pitch walk in the third inning.

Trailing 2-1 at the time, Bauers stepped up with two runners on base and one out in the inning. Facing last year's World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Bauers managed to draw a walk on the 12th pitch of the at-bat. After watching the first five pitches to get into a full count, Bauers fouled off six consecutive offerings from Yamamoto before watching a curveball in the dirt for ball four.

Christian Yelich followed Bauers' at-bat with a go-ahead two-run RBI single, which chased Yamamoto from the game after just 75 pitches and 2.2 innings of work. Los Angeles then relied on seven relievers to cover the remainder of the ballgame, a factor that could become crucial as the series progresses.

Interestingly, this marks the second time this season that Bauers has come out on top in a 12-pitch at-bat, with the previous one being described as the best at-bat of his life. It also embodies the Brewers’ mantra to a tee.

Jake Bauers embodies Brewers' "drag him" mantra in new "best at-bat" of his career

Remember Opening Weekend, when Sal Frelick was seen shouting “drag him” from the top of the dugout? That phrase, which was revealed in an excellent article from Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, hasn't gone away, and it's come to define the Brewers’ approach at the plate this season. What it means is working opposing pitchers deep into counts, grinding out at-bats, and refusing to go down without a fight.

That’s exactly what Bauers did against Yamamoto in the NLCS this year, delivering an at-bat that could certainly rank as the best of his career considering the magnitude of the moment, the caliber of the competition, and the game-changing results that followed.

However, Bauers had previously labeled another at-bat the best of his career. That came on August 22 of this year, when he took Atlanta Braves southpaw Martin Pérez deep, which fittingly came in the third inning, on the 12th pitch of the at-bat, and ended a stretch of seven consecutive foul balls. Though that at-bat ended in a two-run, go-ahead homer to center field and his at-bat against Yamamoto ended in a walk, the context surrounding the latter makes it difficult not to put Bauers' 12-pitch walk atop the list of his best ever at-bats.

Regardless, Bauers has clearly been “dragging” opposing pitchers all season long, finishing with the fifth-most walks in the National League at 94. He has carried that same approach into the postseason, where his six walks rank second-most, further highlighting his ability to work counts, wear down pitchers, and consistently get on base.

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