Don't forget about these 7 plays that helped the Brewers reach the World Series

You recall the ball hitting the roof cable, Jackson Chourio's walk-off, Garrett Mitchell's robbery, Jake Bauers' homer and Aaron Ashby's save. But do you remember these moments?

There have been so many key plays during the Milwaukee Brewers' eight-game run to their first World Series since 1982 that some of the "smaller" moments are easy to lose sight of.

Jog your memory by revisiting these seven plays that proved to be pivotal, but you might otherwise forget about because they don't stand out quite as much as the big moments.

Manny Machado grounds out

It's easy to forget how the Brewers were teetering early in their first game this postseason. The Padres had scratched two runs against Jacob Misiorowski in the second inning with a series of grinding at-bats and poor defense from Milwaukee.

Misiorowski was at 53 pitches through five outs with the bases loaded when Manny Machado came up to bat. The previous three hitters had seen a combined 19 pitches, including a walk by Dustin Harris to load the bags.

With a chance to break the game open and possibly chase Misiorowski, Machado swung at a first-pitch slider on the outside corner and rolled it right to shortstop.

William Contreras' throw

Antonio Senzatela being unable to snag a flip to first with one out in the fifth inning of Game 1 against the Padres almost loomed large.

Tied, 2-2, Harris tried to steal second base following the play, but William Contreras threw him out. The Padres followed with a walk and blooper, a sequence that would have scored Harris to take the lead.

William Contreras' dart via Ump Cam 🤯 pic.twitter.com/aj0EXlwrW2

— MLB (@MLB) October 4, 2026

Instead, Aaron Ashby came on and got out of the inning by getting Jackson Merrill to pop out.

Sal Frelick's throw

Jackson Chourio won it, but a play by Sal Frelick in Game 2 against the Padres helped prevent an even greater deficit heading into the comeback.

Ty France laced an RBI single with two outs in the seventh to put San Diego up, 3-1, on an unearned run against Abner Uribe. Machado took an aggressive maneuver and tried to go first-to-third on the play but was hosed by Frelick's throw from right.

That kept the deficit at two, which set up the most memorable hit of the playoffs by any team.

Miz escapes again

Misiorowski's second inning against the Dodgers in Game 1 was eerily similar to his one against San Diego. Bases loaded, one run in, one out. The Dodgers fouling off everything. Then Kiké Hernández pulled a grounder for a slick double play by Cooper Pratt and Brice Turang.

Jacob Misiorowski gets Kiké Hernández to ground into an inning-ending double play to limit the damage in the 1st pic.twitter.com/z9ST5lyO3g

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 12, 2026

That helped Misiorowski get through 4⅔ innings despite an elevated pitch count, allowing no more damage.

Cooper Pratt bunts

It was a simple play that wound up being the difference in Game 1 against the Dodgers: Following a leadoff Garrett Mitchell walk, Pratt dropped down a sacrifice bunt in the fifth against against Tarik Skubal. One pitch later, Luis Lara singled back up the middle.

That would be the final run scored in the game.

Will Smith doesn't tap

In Game 2 of the NLCS, Will Smith had three chances across two Turang plate appearances to flip it into a strikeout with a challenge. He didn't challenge any of the pitches and Turang ultimately doubled and walked. Both times, he came around to score.

Contreras followed the double with a two-bagger of his own to tie the score at 1-1. Two innings later, Turang's walk preceded another by Contreras and Jake Bauers' 12-pitch walk. Christian Yelich then gave the Brewers the lead with his two-run single.