Brewers May Not Win Series, but This Was Big

The Brewers deserved this. So did their fans.

You don't wait 26 years to get back into the postseason, only to get knocked out in three straight games.

You don't make the brilliant CC Sabathia trade, fire your manager with 12 games remaining, and squeeze through the tiniest of windows, only to get swept.

Make no mistake, the Brewers are still at a disadvantage after beating the Phillies 4-1 on Saturday, trailing their best-of-five Division Series two games to one.

What's more, the Brew Crew faces a near-certain breakup once their season ends. Sabathia and right-hander Ben Sheets are likely to depart as free agents, while shortstop J.J. Hardy and first baseman Prince Fielder are candidates to be traded.

Ah, but enough fretting over the future. For Milwaukee, this is about enjoying the moment, enjoying a season that will last at least one more day. Once again, Brewers fans can dare to dream.

Brewers right-hander Jeff Suppan vs. Phillies righty Joe Blanton in Game Four is a toss-up. Sabathia will face Phillies lefty Cole Hamels if Game Five is necessary in Philadelphia—and Sabathia will be back on normal rest.

Doesn't sound so daunting, does it?

Not to a Brewers team that was two-and-a-half games out in the wild card race with seven games left, then went 6-1 to pass the facing Mets.

The Phillies are better than the Mets, but, as the Cubs have shown, even the best teams in the National League are flawed.

Two things bug me about the Phillies: the inconsistency of their offense and the underside of their bullpen. Both were issues on Saturday.

The Phillies were 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position, and are now 2-for-20 since Shane Victorino's grand slam in Game Two.

Their middle relievers, meanwhile, allowed 10 baserunners over a span of three innings. But thanks to the Brewers' own offensive futility, they gave up only two runs.

Chances are, the Phillies will crush Suppan on Sunday. They scored six runs in three-and-two-thirds innings against him in Philadelphia three weeks ago, and for all their difficulties with runners in scoring position, they've still produced 11 extra-base hits in the last two games.

Suddenly, though, the Brewers can see an opening. The smallest of openings. The opening that a franchise going for broke deserves.

This article originally published on FOXSports.com.

Read more of Ken's columns here.