The Brewers fall to the Dodgers in Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series, 4-2

The Milwaukee Brewers took their first shot at knocking off the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Wild Card Series this evening. Unfortunately they failed in the endeavor. Things got off to a very shaky start for Milwaukee. Brewers’ starter, Brent Suter, came into tonight’s contest walking just five batters on the season. He would walk five in 1.2 innings tonight.

In fact, he walked four in the bottom of the first. Mookie Betts led the inning off with a double that ricocheted off the glove of Ryan Braun. Then the walks started coming. Suter walked Corey Seager, Max Muncy, Will Smith, and A.J. Pollack. The walks to Smith and Pollack led to runs. Milwaukee was actually fortunate to get out of the first inning giving up just the two runs.

Suter gave the third run of the game in the bottom of the second. Chris Taylor led things off with a double. He later scored on another double by Betts, and the Dodgers were off and running 3-0.

With as poor an outing as Suter has had in some while, Craig Counsell pulled his quirky left-hander for his submarining right-hander, Eric Yardley. Yardley got the final out of the second and kept his team in the game by pitching two more scoreless innings.

The Dodgers pitcher, Walker Bueller, looked to be in total control of the game until the top of the fourth. Daniel Vogelbach led the inning off by going the other way line for a double. Later in the inning, Orlando Arcia turned around a 97 mph fastball and hit it over the left field wall for a 2-run home run. The Brewers were back in the game.

Unfortunately, Milwaukee suffered another player loss, at least for that last part of this game. Ryan Braun was pulled from the game with in the top of the fifth. The .330 career postseason hitter was pinch hit for by Tyrone Taylor. Reports indicate that Braun was lifted for back discomfort. The hope is that he will be able to go tomorrow night.

A player that showed well in this game was Justin Topa. He gave Milwaukee two very nice innings, holding L.A. scoreless in the fifth and sixth innings.

The Dodgers would, however, tack on one more run in the bottom of the seventh. Freddy Peralta grooved a 95 mph fastball down the middle of the plate that Corey Seager crushed for the longest home run of the season in Dodger stadium. That would make it 4-2.

Drew Rasmussen did get some playoff experience as he took the bottom of the eighth. Pumping 98-100 mph, he was able to pitch a scoreless inning.

That left the top of the ninth for the Brew Crew to do something. With two outs, Kenley Jansen walked Jace Peterson and offered a bit of drama late. The walk to Peterson brought Christian Yelich to the plate as the game-tying run. Yelich took the first pitch that was down the middle for strike one. Strike two was him swiping his bat at a pitch well out of the strike zone. The final strike was at least in the zone, but the 2018 MVP flailed through the pitch, and the game was over.

It is win or go home time for the Brewers as Game 2 of this series takes place tomorrow night. Start time is scheduled for 9:08 CT. Brandon Woodruff goes for the Brewers. Clayton Kershaw gets the ball for the Dodgers. You can catch the game on ESPN and hear it on WTMJ 620.