Christian Yelich was back in the middle of Milwaukee’s October story in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series, delivering a two-out, two-run single that put the Brewers ahead against Yoshinobu Yamamoto. It came one night after manager Pat Murphy had kept his former MVP out of the lineup against Detroit left-hander Tarik Skubal.
Murphy had a matchup reason for the Game 1 choice. Andrew Vaughn, a right-handed option against lefties, started and doubled in Milwaukee’s win. Still, the 67-year-old manager admitted before Game 2 that sitting Yelich had stayed with him.
“I’m not sure I would make that choice again,” Murphy said, noting Yelich’s recent form and his standing in the clubhouse. Murphy praised Yelich for handling the bench role as a teammate, but said the experience had made him reconsider the decision.
Quick facts
- Yelich drove in two runs with a go-ahead single in the third inning of Game 2.
- Milwaukee worked Yamamoto for 40 pitches in that inning.
- Jake Bauers drew a 12-pitch walk after fouling off six straight two-strike pitches.
- David Hamilton stole his first base of the postseason after leading the Brewers with 30 steals during the regular season.
- Game 3 is scheduled for Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET, 7 p.m. CT and 5 p.m. PT on FS1, FOX Deportes and FOX One.
The Brewers’ third-inning push looked like the offensive formula that carried them through the regular season. Milwaukee scored 832 runs, second-most in the Majors, while hitting only 154 home runs, the second-lowest total in baseball.
Hamilton, batting ninth, opened the inning with a single. Murphy has rotated Hamilton, rookie shortstop Cooper Pratt and third baseman Joey Ortiz through those lower-lineup spots. Hamilton then took second, adding to a running game that finished with 162 steals; only four clubs had more.
Jackson Chourio lined out, but Brice Turang kept the inning moving with a six-pitch walk. Turang had doubled and scored earlier, after homering against Skubal in Game 1, and this time he waited out a cutter just off the plate.
Yamamoto appeared to believe catcher Will Smith should have challenged the call, pointing toward the field and tapping his cap. Smith did not ask for a review. William Contreras then flied out, leaving the inning in Bauers’ hands.
Bauers, enjoying a breakout season at age 30, pushed Yamamoto through a draining confrontation. The count reached full after five pitches, and Bauers continued spoiling two-strike offerings, sending six consecutive foul balls into play. Two nearly became catches near the third-base line, but Dodgers defenders could not finish either chance.
Ball four arrived on pitch No. 12, seven minutes and four seconds after the at-bat began. It matched the longest plate appearance of Bauers’ career, including an August at-bat against Atlanta that ended in a home run.
The walk was the 12th postseason free pass of at least 12 pitches since pitch tracking began in 1988. It was also the longest plate appearance any Major League hitter has produced against Yamamoto.
Yelich followed two pitches later, lining a two-run hit to center field. Yamamoto had thrown 36 pitches in the inning and 75 in the game by that point. He recorded eight outs before Alex Vesia entered from the Los Angeles bullpen and stopped the rally.
Milwaukee had struggled to solve Yamamoto before this breakthrough. The right-hander threw a complete game against the Brewers in Game 2 of the 2025 NLCS at the same ballpark, allowing only four baserunners, and he surrendered just two earned runs across 13 innings in two regular-season starts against them in 2026.
But the Brewers again found their preferred October route: traffic on the bases, pressure on the pitcher, a long at-bat and a veteran hitter ready when the inning finally tilted their way. The club is among the final four teams for the second consecutive season, and Yelich made sure he was part of the latest turn.
