3 Keys to Brewers Sweeping the Padres, Advancing to the NLCS

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The first two games of the Milwaukee Brewers’ playoff journey have been must-see television, but the job isn’t done. After a raise-the-roof 3-2 victory in Game 1 and a Jackson Chourio walk-off single for a 4-3 triumph in Game 2, the Crew needs one more win to advance to the League Championship Series for the fourth time since they switched to the National League. Here's what Pat Murphy’s squad must accomplish to get there.

Keep Stealing Bases to Put Pressure on the Defense

The Brewers have won the NL Central four seasons in a row, stamping their ticket to the postseason and earning some playoff home games to go with it. How did they get there without an offense known for its power? Partially, it was by being aggressive on the base paths.

While the strong crowds at American Family Field certainly helped with putting pressure on a streaking San Diego Padres team, stealing an extra 90 feet has been their brand for the last few seasons. The Brewers stole 162 bases in the regular season this year, good enough for fifth in baseball. The Padres stole 164, slotting in slightly ahead of the Crew.

So far in this series, though, the Crew is 3-for-3 in that department (one each from Bryce Turang, Garrett Mitchell and Christian Yelich). Yelich’s stolen base came on a 1-0 count against a Mason Miller fastball, a scenario wherein most baserunners wouldn’t try their luck. He forced the issue, anyway.

San Diego, on the other hand, is 0-for-1, after Dustin Harris was caught stealing in the fifth inning of Game 2. The Padres already have their backs against the wall. They're playing to extend their season for the rest of this series. The Brewers can make their lives that much harder by staying aggressive.

Dustin May Needs to Provide Some Length

Both bullpens have recorded exactly 27 outs, though it hasn't quite felt like they've absorbed equally heavy loads. Jacob Misiorowski went just four innings in the series opener (Antonio Senzatela, Aaron Ashby, Abner Uribe, DL Hall and Trevor Megill followed), and Logan Henderson provided five innings on Sunday night (JoJo Romero, Uribe, Ashby and Megill followed). While the team gets an off day, that’s still three high-leverage arms (Ashby, Uribe and Megill) who have gone in back-to-back contests.

In his last eight starts of the regular season, Brewers starter Dustin May went five or more innings just once. There’s a scenario where the Padres take Game 3 at home and extend this series. If that were to happen, the war of attrition really kicks in for these relievers. May going four innings (if not five) will be critical for the Brewers’ success, because it will give them a chance to turn to Robert Gasser or Kyle Harrison for some length, too, and not to need all of the traditional high-leverage options.

Keep the Clutch Hitting Rolling

The Brewers are only 4-for-16 with runners in scoring position over the first two games, with their fourth base knock being Chourio’s two-run single to send the 41,683 fans in attendance into a roaring frenzy. But the hits and at-bats don't document the walks that set the stage for Chourio's heroics. Nor is hitting with runners in scoring position the only way to be clutch William Contreras’s solo home run in Game 1 was a clutch hit. Milwaukee’s backstop stepped up in a 2-2 ball game and provided the go-ahead run.

The Padres are just 3-for-18 with runners in scoring position. It’s a thin margin, but that’s been the difference between a 1-1 split and the 2-0 advantage the Crew has as they make the trek out west.

Game 3 of the NLDS is on Tuesday at 8:30 PM CT. If Milwaukee can steal bases, get significant innings out of May and continue to come through in the clutch, they’ll be dancing to the NLCS yet again.