Christian Yelich, Brewers Take 2-0 Series Lead with Game 2 Win vs. Rockies

The Milwaukee Brewers are one win away from sweeping the National League Division Series after their 4-0 victory over the Colorado Rockies in Game 2 at Miller Park on Friday. 

After their dramatic 10th-inning walk-off in Game 1, the Brewers once again held Colorado's offense at bay. Jhoulys Chacin, starting on three days rest, tossed five shutout innings with three hits, three walks and three strikeouts.  

Mike Moustakas, who delivered the game-winning single Thursday, carried over his momentum to Game 2. The two-time All-Star went 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored. Christian Yelich made an impact without recording a hit, going 0-for-2 with two walks and a run scored. 

Meanwhile, offense remains a problem for the Rockies. They have scored four runs in three playoff games dating back to the NL Wild Card Game against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday. 

Brewers' Bullpen Receives Huge Boost with Jhoulys Chacin's Strong Start

Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell went with a bullpen day in Game 1, using six pitchers in 10 innings, so going with Chacin on short rest had the potential to be a disaster. 

Instead, the former Rockies ace responded with his third straight start of allowing one or fewer runs over at least five innings. He did it Friday under all-new circumstances:

In recording the first 15 outs, Chacin allowed Counsell to set up the bullpen how he wanted over the final four innings. Corey Knebel only threw 12 pitches in the sixth after going for 1.2 innings in Game 1. 

The Rockies were able to get the tying run on third with one out in the top of the seventh. But Joakim Soria struck out Matt Holliday, and Josh Hader only threw two pitches before getting Charlie Blackmon to line out to end the threat. 

Jeremy Jeffress responded after blowing the save Thursday by allowing two runs in the ninth and had two scoreless innings to close out Game 2.  

The strength of Milwaukee's pitching staff is the bullpen, but that unit needs starters to eat some of the innings to avoid being taxed early in the playoffs. Chacin gave the Brewers what they needed. 

Now, the pitching staff gets a day off before trying to finish off the series Sunday. 

Rockies' Quiet Bats Must Take Advantage of Coors Field

These aren't your parents' Rockies, who used to be built on a lineup that was capable of scoring 10 runs seemingly at the drop of a hat. 

Depth has been a significant problem throughout the 2018 campaign. The Rockies had the third-worst weighted on-base average (.289) and the second-worst weighted runs created plus (78) in road games this season, per FanGraphs. 

Going by Baseball Reference's OPS+, where 100 is average, only Blackmon (115), Trevor Story (127) and Nolan Arenado (133) were above that threshold. That trio is 3-for-23 with two RBI and nine strikeouts against the Brewers. 

The results through three playoff games away from Coors Field have been alarming. The Rockies have 21 hits in 32 innings, including one for extra bases in two games against the Brewers. 

Despite the dire results so far, there is hope. The Colorado offense had an OPS 187 points higher at Coors Field (.852) than on the road (.665). 

The Brewers will be starting Miley in Game 3. The Rockies hit .272/.336/.462 against southpaws and led MLB with 258 runs scored against them during the regular season. 

Milwaukee's Timely Hitting Has Rockies Searching for Answers

Even though the Brewers are celebrating a 2-0 series lead, their lineup isn't setting the scoreboard on fire. They did break through with three runs in the eighth inning of Game 2, nearly matching their total from the first 17 innings of the series (four).

But baserunning blunders have cost Milwaukee additional runs.

Ryan Braun was thrown out trying to score from second on a wild pitch in the first inning of Game 1.

On Friday, Hernan Perez was thrown out at third after being caught in a rundown as he attempted a double steal in the bottom of the fourth inning, with Rockies starter Tyler Anderson walking a tight rope to keep it a one-run deficit.

Unlike the Rockies, though, the Brewers have been able to get timely hits that make up for those blunders. Moustakas and Yelich have carried the offense through the first two games.

That duo has combined to go 5-for-13 with one home run, one double, four RBI, four runs scored and five walks. Erik Kratz broke open Game 2 with a two-run single in the bottom of the eighth to make it 4-0. 

The Rockies couldn't have asked for more from their pitching staff, yet their efforts have been for naught. Coors Field has been their great equalizer this year. Only three NL teams—the Brewers, Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies—had more home wins than the Rockies (47).

What's Next?

German Marquez (14-11, 3.77 ERA) will attempt to keep the Rockies' season alive against Brewers left-hander Wade Miley (5-2, 2.57 ERA) as the series shifts to Coors Field for Game 3 on Sunday at 4:37 p.m. ET.