The bases were juiced but Milwaukee was down to its final strike. Ryan Braun stood in the batter’s box down 1-2 in the count with Junior Fernandez on the mound. He took two breaking balls, fouled off a third, before striking the big blow for the Brew Crew. Fernandez hung a slider belt high over the middle of the plate and Braun sent the ball soaring to the bleachers in left center. Tommy Edman homered with one out in the bottom of the ninth to keep it interesting but Milwaukee won the game and the series.
The 7-6 triumph means Milwaukee keeps pace with the Cubs, just one back in the NL Wild Card. The North Siders broomed Pittsburgh scoring in seven of eight innings they batted for another offensive explosion. The NL Central is tightening up again though. No longer is it just the Wild Card in play. The Cubs are two back of the Cards and Milwaukee is three. The Brewers do not face a team above .500 for the rest of the season. They couldn’t draw up a better schedule to chase down division foes and earn a spot in the postseason field.
