MILWAUKEE, WI – MAY 06: A detailed view of the Franklin batting gloves worn by Eric Sogard #18 of the Milwaukee Brewers during a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Miller Park on May 6, 2018 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Pirates defeated the Brewers 9-0. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Eric Sogard and the Brewers avoid disaster, as every loss to the Pirates should be termed
With the Pirates up 6-5 in the ninth inning, Sogard played the role of hero for a Milwaukee Brewers team clinging to hope in the NL Central. The cellar-dwellers in Pittsburgh ought to serve as a way to get back in the race, or maintain momentum, but as the Cardinals found out just recently, these pesky Pirates are unwilling to just lie down.
After a blown save by the normally-steady Josh Hader, in which he walked in two runs to give the Pirates a one-run leading heading into the bottom of the ninth, Sogard and the Brewers took care of Richard Rodriguez in short order winning the game just two batters into the inning.
Can the Brewers make the playoffs in the National League?
Right now, the Brewers sit in second place in the NL Central, four games behind the Cubs and tied for that spot with the St. Louis Cardinals. In the 2020 playoff format, the Brewers surely have a shot, as every second-place team will make the postseason, as well as two Wild Card teams. Whether you agree with the format or not, it’s definitely good news for Milwaukee, who’s gotten off to a suspect start. In a 60-game campaign those tough beginnings turn into half the season quite quickly.
The Brewers still have one of the best weapons in the NL in Hader despite how he pitched on Saturday night. That alone, plus 2019 NL MVP Christian Yelich, makes them a dangerous matchup.