The at-bat that defined the Brewers Game 3 win in the National League Championship Series came from Jake Bauers. The veteran first baseman took on Blake Snell, who was at the top of his game, and worked him for an 11-pitch at-bat. Bauers slugged the final pitch halfway up the right field bleachers to give Milwaukee the lead for good.
"Just helping the team win feels good, that's what it's all about," said Bauers on his postgame interview on the FS1 broadcast. "We love to pick each other up, try to win any way we can."
It wasn't the first time in this series that Bauers wore down a Dodgers starter with a long at-bat. He turned in a 12-pitch walk against Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 2. The 31-year-old has turned in the best two at-bats in the series, showing how pesky the Brewers lineup can get.
"I think as they go on, you start to get a better idea of what the shapes look like and what you can get the barrel to."
Jake Bauers on His NLCS-Defining Home Run
The timing of Bauers' home run couldn't have come any better. The Brewers had blown a 1-0 lead, as Abner Uribe couldn't find the strike zone. Three walks preceded a two-run double. It took a great performance from DL Hall to prevent the Dodgers from adding to that.
Snell had little issues with the Brewers lineup through the first six innings. It looked like the Dodgers finally had some life in a series in which nearly every push moment has gone Milwaukee's way. But a leadoff walk by Andrew Vaughn in the seventh gave Bauers a chance to make a huge impact on the game.
"Tonight, that third at-bat, he had been stuffing me in with fastballs. So I went up for the third one, I was looking for a fastball on the inner lane the whole time figuring if I can adjust to anything else, I'll wait him out and try to get what I'm looking for."
Bauers got exactly what he was looking for and didn't miss. He got a center-cut fastball on the 11th pitch and blasted it 412 feet. Once a journeyman infielder on the last legs of his career, Bauers provided arguably the greatest at-bat in Brewers postseason history. Not only did it suck the life out of the Dodgers and their fans, but it also energized his teammates to finish the game strong.
Garrett Mitchell added to the moment, slugging another home run just two pitches later. Those two home runs served as the knockout punch to not only Blake Snell, but also perhaps the Dodgers. The Brewers will try to close out the four-game sweep at Dodger Stadium.
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