NLDS Game 2: Brewers have Rockies on brink of elimination after dominant win

The Rockies are down 0-2 in the NLDS after a 4-0 loss to the Brewers. (Getty Images)

The Milwaukee Brewers have a blueprint for postseason success. It might not be the flashiest way to win a baseball game, or the best way for your nerves if you’re a fan watching from the stands — but for them, it works.

If the Rockies have a blueprint, well, we sure haven’t seen it yet.

The Brewers won another tight one in Game 2 of the National League Division Series, beating the Colorado Rockies 4-0, who were shut out in the postseason for the first time in club history. Again, it was the Brewers leaning on their mighty bullpen and making the most of a few well-timed hits — particularly an RBI ground-rule double from Hernán Pérez early, and a clutch two-run single from Erik Kratz for insurance in the eighth.

It’s the same Brewers formula that worked in Game 1 (save for a little bit of ninth-inning trouble) and now they have a commanding 2-0 lead as the series shifts back to Colorado.

The Brewers turned to veteran starter Jhoulys Chacin in Game 2, and got five scoreless innings from him, which is about all they need when they have Josh Hader, Corey Knebel and Jeremy Jeffress waiting in the bullpen. That three-headed monster, plus Joakim Soria, kept the Rockies bats quiet for 12 more outs.

Time and time again in Game 2, the Brewers were able to come through when they needed it — like their three-run eighth-inning rally – and the Rockies were not.

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Pérez brought home the game’s first run with a fourth-inning ground-rule double that brought home Mike Moustakas, who produced the walk-off winner in Game 1. Moustakas had doubled before Pérez to set the table.

Hernán Pérez gives the #Brewers the lead in the 4th with a ground rule double that scores @Mooose_8! #OurCrewOurOctober pic.twitter.com/Fzul3YSjI4

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) October 5, 2018

Perez actually had another ground-rule double later in the game but was stranded on third base. And Moustakas brought home the Brewers’ first eighth-inning insurance run before Kratz’s RBI single.

What made the difference in NLDS Game 2?

While the Brewers proved they can bring home a run when the opportunity is before them, the same can’t be said for the Rockies. Through two games in this series, the theme for Colorado is missed opportunities.

The number that will stick out for the Rockies in Game 2 is 0-for-6, as in that’s what they did with runners in scoring position. Colorado had chances to score, but just couldn’t muster that perfectly timed hit.

They had two runners on in the first, but Trevor Story struck out to end the inning. They had two runners on in the third, but neither Nolan Arenado or Carlos Gonzalez could get someone around to score. They wasted a Gerardo Parra single in the fourth and couldn’t bring Ian Desmond home in the seventh when he was on second with nobody out.

As a whole, the Rockies haven’t been able to deliver in this series. They have only one extra-base hit and that came in Game 1. The Rockies will hope their offense can turn it around at home, where their offense plays better.

What’s next for the Brewers and Rockies

It will be do-for-die for the Rockies when the series shifts to Denver on Sunday. Game 3 of this series starts at 4:37 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on MLB Network. The Rockies will have German Márquez on the hill coming off his disappointing outing in Game 163 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Brewers will go with Wade Miley, the veteran starter who had an up-and-down career. He started 16 games for the Brewers, putting together a 5-2 record with a 2.57 ERA.

Márquez, 23, has been fantastic this season aside from Monday’s hiccup. He set the Rockies single-season record with 230 strikeouts, and ended the regular season with 12 consecutive quality starts. He finished the season 14-11 with a 3.77.

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Mike Oz is a writer at Yahoo Sports. Contact him at mikeozstew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @MikeOz

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