What could have been.
The Milwaukee Brewers have made five comebacks in 63 games in which they trailed after eight innings this season, and yet maybe that was just enough for them to believe it was completely feasible to expect a miracle rally in the postseason Monday, Oct. 13 at American Family Field.
But in this case it would have required Brice Turang to stand in front of a cannon and take a shot to tie the game and force extra innings.
The Brewers found themselves down 2-0 in the bottom of the ninth inning in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers with the bases loaded for the first time all night when Turang took his place at the plate.
Dodgers reliever Blake Treinen threw a pitch that certainly could have clipped Turang. He would have taken first base and forced teammates to advance, bringing in the tying run from third.
But in a split-second decision, Turang flung himself out of harm’s way and avoided getting hit.
“Yeah, that’s not an easy thing,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said after the game. “It’s a natural reaction. If someone turns and makes a gesture towards you, you’re going to (react). It’s the same thing if the ball is coming towards you. The natural thing is to – it’s a breaking ball – the natural thing is to (move away).
“I know he was thinking the same thing, after the ball was past him.”
Then on a 2-2 count, Treinen got Turang to strike out, swinging at a higher pitch. Game over.
“It sucks. It is what it is. Natural reaction to kind of get out of the way,” Turang said. “And there’s nothing I can do. I can’t go back.
“And then I was looking at up the top of the zone for the sinker and sweeper that he was throwing – he threw me a four-seamer and it took off,” Turang added on his strikeout.
Added Murphy: “Even if you try to maneuver yourself, it’s hard to get hit by a pitch, because it’s just so difficult.”
The ninth inning comeback that fell just short gave the Brewers a bit of life.
The Brewers had only one hit in the first eight innings, unable to figure out completely dominant Dodgers starting pitcher Blake Snell. But L.A. had only the 2-0 lead depite the stellar pitching.
The Dodgers sent in 23-year-old reliever Roki Sasaki in the bottom of the ninth to give Snell a seat, and that was the only tiny opening the Brewers had to make something happen.
With one out, Sasaki started to look a little shaky, walking Milwaukee left fielder Issac Collins.
Then he gave up a double to Brewers veteran Jake Bauers, pinch hitting for Joey Ortiz. Bauer’s shot to center field brought the fans at American Family Field to their feet. The Brewers then subbed in speedy Brandon Lockridge for Bauers at second.
Jackson Chourio’s sacrifice fly scored Collins and moved Lockridge to third.
The Dodgers elected to stay with Sasaki for one more batter, and that was Christian Yelich – who patiently held his ground. On a full count, Yelich was walked by Sasaki.
That’s when L.A. manager Dave Roberts pulled Sasaki and inserted Treinen.
Yelich stole second and William Contreras also drew a walk to load the bases.
“That team is going to fight; they’re going to fight to the end,” Roberts said. “You’ve got to give credit to those guys. They took the walks, they kept the line moving. Ultimately we had to put the ball over the plate.
“And Blake (Treinen) fortunately had a good at-bat versus Turang.
“But its not going to come easy. It’s going to be a grind and its going to be tough.”
Todd Rosiak and Curt Hogg of the Journal Sentinel contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Brice Turang avoiding being hit by pitch with bases loaded for Brewers was a ‘natural reaction’
Reporting by Lori Nickel, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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