Playoff baseball returns to Milwaukee
PREDICTIONS
Last week: 7-4
Season: 56-19
Extra Special Major League Baseball Edition
Games of the Week
Colorado Rockies (91-72) at Milwaukee Brewers (96-67), Thursday, Friday at Miller Park, Sunday, Monday at Coors Field, Denver, Wednesday at Miller Park
UPDATE: Since this column was published in Thursday’s Burlington Standard Press, the Brewers won game one Thursday evening, 3-2, thanks to walk-off single from Mike Moustakas.
Milwaukee allowed a mere one hit and led 2-0 before Jeremy Jeffress ran into trouble in the top of the ninth.
After the Rockies tied it up, Moustakas saw three fastballs, the last of which he fouled into the catcher’s glove. After the Rockies catcher couldn’t hold on, “Moose” got another chance with an 0-2 count.
He smashed a line drive to right, scoring NL MVP candidate Christian Yelich, whose two-run homer gave Burlington a lead in the third, with the winning run.
Make sure to check out Game 2 at Miller Park. It will be on FS1 with the first pitch slated for 3:15 p.m. Friday.
With a title that long, who needs a description, right?
Well, this one needs no introduction.
The Colorado Rockies and Milwaukee Brewers are playing in the National League Divisional Series for the first time ever, and that means lots of family feuds, Facebook feed fights, fun and frustration.
It’s been nerve-wracking already as both teams played a game No. 163 to determine a division winner in the NL Central and NL West.
The red-hot Brewers, winners of eight straight, are on top of the baseball world right now. They were behind the division-leading Cubs to begin the month of September by 5 games and finished the season with a furious 20-7 record to catch up.
The Rockies are also red-hot, winners of nine of 11. On Tuesday night, they needed all 13 innings to beat Chicago, 2-1, in Wrigley for the Wild Card.
Man, do the Cubs stink. Sorry, Cubs fans, it was a good year, but talk about a collapse.
Guys like Javy Baez, Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Jon Lester and more, and the 2016 World Series champs couldn’t hold on to a huge lead.
I guess that’s baseball.
Like they’ve done all season, and especially over the last month, Christian Yelich, the probable NL MVP, Lorenzo Cain and Ryan Braun each had an RBI in Monday’s epic division tie-breaker for the Brewers, a game I watched on a projection screen in class with my students by the way.
The outfield trio has carried the Brewers to the postseason for only the fifth time in franchise history and third time in 10 years.
As a Brewers fan, my biggest fear was avoided.
The Cubs, the biggest threat to the Brewers’ dream season, are home for the fall and winter wondering why, and Milwaukee gets to play with the home-field advantage of Miller Park all the way through the NL Playoffs.
The Brewers have the best bullpen in baseball and perhaps the most depth in their batting order, with studs at the top, veteran righties and lefties and pop throughout.
The Rockies can hit too, with Nolan Arenado, Trevor Storey, Ian Desmond and others, but I don’t think anything is stopping the Brewers train for awhile.
PREDICTION: Milwaukee def. Colorado, 3-1.
High school football
Burlington (6-1, 4-1 SLC) at Wilmot (5-2, 4-1), 7 p.m., Friday
Fast track means advantage Panthers, right?
Wrong.
The Demons have just as much athleticism as Wilmot, which is playing a backup quarterback but features the league’s most punishing back in Austin Norton.
Kevin Brenner and the Wilmot pass rush will pose a challenge for Dalton Damon and company, but Damon’s running ability should make the difference.
Home-field advantage will be a major factor, but there’s something about this Burlington team I can’t deny.
Even without star Nick Webley, the Demons are extremely dangerous.
Look for Zach Wallace and Zach Anderson to pound the rock, along with Damon.
PREDICTION: Burlington 29, Wilmot 27
Other area predictions
Catholic Central 22, Kenosha St. Joe’s 20
Waterford 49, Union Grove 20
Westosha Central 21, Delavan-Darien 14
Elkhorn 28, Lake Geneva Badger 25
Brodhead/Juda 30, Big Foot 28
Muskego 45, Waukesha West 40
Edgerton 31, Whitewater 21
Jefferson 50, East Troy 47
Palmyra-Eagle 35, Parkview 25
-
-
-
-
-