I wasn't around for 1982, so this day one year ago just might be the best day of my Brewer fanhood to date.
Both teams held serve in the first four games of the 2011 NLDS, with the Brewers winning Games One and Two in Milwaukee and the Diamondbacks taking #3 and 4 in Arizona. The series returned to Milwaukee for the fifth and final game, and the two teams played a contest for the ages.
The Brewers took a 2-1 lead in the sixth inning on this day on a Yuniesky Betancourt bloop RBI single but John Axford, who hadn't blown a save since April, allowed a single run in the ninth to send the game to extra innings. It was still 2-2 in the bottom of the tenth when Carlos Gomez singled, stole second and scored the winning run on Nyjer Morgan's walkoff single.
The win gave the Brewers their first playoff series victory since the 1982 ALCS. Here's our recap of the game.
With help from Brewerfan.net and the B-Ref Play Index, happy birthday today to:
- 2012 Huntsville Star Hunter Morris, who turns 24.
- 1995-97 Brewer Tim Unroe, who turns 42.
- 2000 Brewer Jim Bruske, who turns 48.
- Scott Roberts, the Brewers' first pick in the 1981 draft (#47 overall), who turns 53.
- 1978-79 Brewer Andy Replogle, who would have turned 59.
- Seattle Pilot Dick Bates, who turns 67.
- 1971 Brewer Jose Cardenal, who turns 69. We covered his birthday in this space last year.
- 1970 Brewer John O'Donoghue, who turns 73.
- Berlin, Wisconsin native and UW-Madison alum Fred Liese, who would have turned 127. Liese was a member of the 1910 Boston Braves.