Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy has referred to his team as the “Average Joes,” a nod to their small-market status and lack of big names, but after they beat rivals the Chicago Cubs 3-1 in the decisive fifth game of their National League Division Series (NLDS) on Saturday night, Murphy decided it was time for an upgrade.
“You can call them the average Joes, but I say they’re the above-average Joes,” he said.
The Brewers relied on contributions from just about every player to get past the Cubs.
Photo: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images
Andrew Vaughn hit a tiebreaking homer in the fourth inning, and William Contreras and Brice Turang also went deep. Trevor Megill, Jacob Misiorowski, Aaron Ashby, Chad Patrick and Abner Uribe combined on a four-hitter, with Uribe getting six outs for the first multi-inning save of his career.
“It takes every single one of these guys in the locker room, and they’ve done it,” Turang said. “We’ve got to keep going.”
The Brewers, making their seventh playoff appearance in eight years, earned their first post-season series win since sweeping the Colorado Rockies in a 2018 NLDS. Milwaukee was on the verge of its second World Series berth that year before losing Game 7 of the National League Championship Series (NLCS) at home to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Photo: AP
Now, the Brewers get another NLCS matchup with the defending World Series champions Dodgers, who beat the Philadelphia Phillies in four games in the other NLDS.
Game 1 is tonight at Milwaukee as the Brewers chase their first pennant since 1982 — back when they played in the American League.
After losing slugging shortstop Willy Adames in free agency and trading away All-Star closer Devin Williams last year, the scrappy Brewers finished the regular season with the best record in the majors at 97-65.
Photo: AP
They have reached the NLCS nine months after the death of Bob Uecker, who broadcast Brewers games for 54 seasons and is probably more synonymous with the franchise than any player.
As the Brewers posed for a postgame picture on the field, they had a banner in front of them with Uecker’s signature. The sellout crowd roared before the game when the scoreboard video showed a fan holding a sign with the message: “Do It For Bob Uecker.”
“It was important to these guys — because it’s the rival — to finish the job,” Murphy said. “And they know Ueck is smiling.”
The victory was particularly sweet for Milwaukee fans because it came against the club’s biggest rival and knocked Cubs manager Craig Counsell out of the post-season.
Counsell grew up in the Milwaukee area, played for the Brewers and became the winningest manager in team history until he left for Chicago.
In the two seasons since Counsell’s departure, Brewers fans have booed every mention of his name whenever the Cubs have visited American Family Field. They did it again on Saturday, although the sellout crowd appeared to include more Cubs backers than in Milwaukee’s Game 1 and Game 2 home victories.
“I’m disappointed. I’m sad,” Counsell said. “I think this team did a lot to honor the Chicago Cub uniform. In the big picture, that’s how I feel.”
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