NLDS 2011: Top 5 Most Important Postseason Hits In Milwaukee Brewers History
Milwaukee Brewers fans are entering new territory on Saturday.
The Brewers will be entering postseason play for just the fourth time in team history when it opens up divisional round play. However, this will be the first time since 1982 that they could legitimately be considered a World Series title contender.
After all, the Brewers were a combined 3-9 against those teams during the 2008 regular season.
It’s a different story this year and the Brewers fans understand that this is an important season in the evolution of their team.
The Brewers have played 21 post season games in their 42 year history with a record of 9-12.
The only series they’ve ever won was in 1982 when they defeated the California Angels 3-2 in a five game series. They faced the Cardinals in the World Series that year, ultimately losing the series in seven games.
The franchise doesn’t have a long history of winning postseason games like the Yankees or Phillies, but nevertheless they do have several key moments within their short postseason runs.
In that spirit, let’s take a look at the 5 Most Important Postseason Hits in Milwaukee Brewers History. Sure, it’s a little like naming the top five songs in the catalog of Right Said Fred, but I think it should be fun nonetheless.
5. Paul Molitor Game 3 1982 ALCS
1 of 5The Brewers had lost the first two games of the ALCS to the Angels and were on the brink of elimination in game three.
Paul Molitor stepped to the plate with the Brewers leading 3-0 in the bottom of the seventh to face Mike Witt.
Molitor hit a two run home run to give the Brewers a 5-0 lead and their first ALCS win.
Those two runs proved to be crucial since the Angels scored three runs in the top of the next inning.
4. Paul Molitor Game 3 1981 LDS
2 of 5Ted Simmons had given the Brewers the lead in the top of the 7th, but the Yankees came right back and tied it in the bottom half of the inning.
Molitor led off the eighth inning by hitting a homerun off of Tommy John to give the Brewers back the lead and secure their first postseason victory.
3. Charlie Moore Game 5 1982 World Series
3 of 5The Brewers held a 4-2 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth inning.
Moore would come to the plate with two on and two out and deliver a clutch single to extend the Brewers lead to 5-2.
The extra run would prove to be the difference in the game since the Cardinals added two runs of their own in the top of the ninth.
The win would give the Brewers a 3-2 series lead and put them on the brink of possibly winning their first World Series championship.
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2. Cecil Cooper Game 5 1982 ALCS
4 of 5The Brewers and Angels were tied at two games a piece heading into Game 5 of the 1982 ALCS.
The Angels held a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the seventh inning when Cecil Cooper stepped to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded.
Cooper came through in the clutch by knocking a 1-1 pitch to left field and scoring two runs, giving the Brewers the 4-3 lead and ultimately their first ever trip to the World Series.
1. Gorman Thomas Game 4 1982 World Series
5 of 5The Brewers had lost the first two out of three games in the 1982 World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals and had entered the eighth inning of game four trailing 5-1.
They rallied to tie the game at five apiece when Gorman Thomas stepped to the plate with the bases loaded.
Thomas would single to left-center off of Jeff Lahti, scoring two runs and giving the Brewers a 7-5 lead, and ultimately the win.
The win tied the series up at 2-2 setting the stage for Charlie Moore's big hit in game five and then the Brewers unfortunate collapse in games six and seven.
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