For the second time in 48 hours, the Milwaukee Brewers’ big bats came up bigger than their power-hitting prowess in the moments they were needed the most.
Tied with the New York Mets in the National League Wild Card chase, the Brewers entered their fourth-to-last game of the 2008 regular season knowing any failure against the Pittsburgh Pirates could put them in a dangerous position of losing their first playoff berth in 26 years.
Eight Brewers pitchers and four Pirates hurlers combined to only allow two runs in the first nine and a half innings of their contest at Miller Park.
However, the Pirates’ Jesse Chavez allowed the bases to be loaded with two outs. With Rickie Weeks on third base, Ray Durham on second and his future boss, Craig Counsell, on first, Ryan Braun came to the plate.
Chavez sent a 2-2 pitch into Braun’s wheelhouse. The rest was a repeat of Prince Fielder’s walk-off heroics from two nights before, but in even grander style.