History is siding with the Milwaukee Brewers heading into Game 5 of their National League division series Friday against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Milwaukee.
The Brewers have dominated foes at Miller Park this season, ripping off a major-league-best 57-24 home record. And no team has rallied from an 0-2 deficit to win a National League division series since baseball began the playoff format in 1995, although four American League teams have managed such a comeback: the 1995 Seattle Mariners, the 1999 Boston Red Sox, the 2001 Yankees and the 2003 Red Sox.
Still, after being battered in the desert by the Diamondbacks, who tied the series behind 18 runs and 24 hits at Chase Field, the Brewers might not feel as invincible at home as they did in their 4-1 and 9-4 victories in the first two games.
Even so, the series is on serve, with both teams protecting their turf. But ominous signs arose during the Brewers’ 10-6 loss Wednesday night, when they simply could not produce clutch hits, finishing 1 for 13 with runners in scoring position (and the lone hit did not drive in a run).
“We’ve been through losing streaks,” Milwaukee Manager Ron Roenicke said. “We’ve come back, played real well. We’ve had a lot of series there at the end where we didn’t play so well and bounced right back and have a great series.”
Eight of Arizona’s runs in their victories came on two hits: grand slams by Paul Goldschmidt in Game 3 and Ryan Roberts in Game 4. And Chris Young belted two homers in Game 4, for three runs batted in.
“We couldn’t just settle for five runs,” Young said. “The Brewers, they have a good offense.”
Though it may be overshadowed by St. Louis’ Chris Carpenter vs. Philadelphia’s Roy Halladay in their N.L. division series finale, Friday’s pitching duel will be a rematch of Game 1 between Arizona’s Ian Kennedy and the Brewers’ Yovani Gallardo. Kennedy said he offered several times to pitch in relief if things turned desperate for the Diamondbacks at Chase Field but was rebuffed by Manager Kirk Gibson.
“I think just using that experience, just like any experience, you learn from it,” Kennedy said. “And you try to build and learn the positive things from it. I’ve definitely got the first one under my belt. And this one hopefully helps me my next start.”
Kennedy threw six and two-thirds innings and gave up four runs while Gallardo allowed one run in eight innings and struck out nine Diamondbacks.
“We didn’t come here to win two games and go to Game 5,” Arizona Manager Kirk Gibson said. “We pack for five days. If we win, we’ll go right to wherever we have to go.”
The Brewers are looking to win their first postseason series in 29 years, since coming from behind to beat the Angels in the 1982 A.L. Championship Series. Although Milwaukee had home field advantage, that three-of-five-game series started in Anaheim, where the Angels won the first two games. The Brewers won the final three at home.
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