For the first time in 26 years, the Milwaukee Brewers hosted a postseason game.
Miller Park’s first taste of the playoffs came on a Saturday night in early October, as the eventual world champion Philadelphia Phillies came to town, leading the Brewers two games to none in the National League Division Series.
After a quarter-century of struggles with a few near misses, the Brewers squeaked into this round of the playoffs – the first of four postseason appearances in the past 12 years.
The first two games did not go well, but Milwaukee sprinted out to a lead in the first inning of game three, using multiple mistakes by pitcher Jamie Moyer. Two walks, a wild pitch, a sacrifice fly by Prince Fielder and an RBI single by J.J. Hardy created a 2-0 Brewers lead.
A Ryan Braun sacrifice fly off Clay Condrey in the 5th inning added another run and a 3-0 advantage.
The Phillies bounced back with a run in the top of the 6th, but Hardy scored off a hit by Jason Kendall to put Philadelphia away 4-1.
These Brewers did not win the NLDS, as the Phillies dispatched them and clinched the series the next day.
However, this first foray into the postseason in the Mark Attanasio portended future success for a franchise that had not seen it in a generation.