A playoff berth was in the reach of the Milwaukee Brewers when they played at Cincinnati on a warm Wednesday night in late September.
In the top of the first, they took away all doubt that they would grab it.
It seemed ho-hum enough when Trent Grisham lined out to third base to start the game. But then, the next eight Brewers reached base.
The first three came from walks by Yasmani Grandal and Mike Moustakas. A single by Keston Hiura loaded the bases.
Ryan Braun unloaded them in the most powerful way possible – the eighth grand slam of his career.
Eric Thames cranked a solo shot to the deepest part of the park in the next at bat. Grisham followed with the second out of the inning, a grounder that scored Cory Spangenberg and finished the Brewers’ run-tallying in the first inning.
There was little doubt the 6-0 lead would stand up. It did and more, with Junior Guerra enticing the final out that led to the popping of champagne and beer cans, and the locker room dances of Bob Uecker as the Brewers clinched their second straight playoff berth.
