MILWAUKEE — This is what the Brewers had expected all season long.
After dropping a season-high seven games in a row just last week, Milwaukee had been desperate for something positive to happen. And on Wednesday, the Brewers got their wish -- albeit a bit too late -- as they swept the Astros in convincing fashion.
It was just the second sweep of the season for Milwaukee, and its first since late May when the Brewers beat the Dodgers in four straight games in Los Angeles -- a series Brewers manager Ron Roenicke has referred to as the team's best all season. But this series against the Astros was the best the offense has looked all season, Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said on Wednesday.
When all was said and done against the Astros, Milwaukee had scored 31 runs in three games against their divisional opponents, showcasing the offensive potential that many had expected to see much earlier in the season. On Sunday alone, the Brewers smacked four home runs, as every starting position player tallied at least one hit. All but two, in fact, were able to register multi-hit games.
The offensive renaissance was just the most recent in a line of very impressive offensive performances as of late, as Milwaukee continues to show why they were considered to be contenders before bullpen woes and injuries crashed the party.
Beyond just the offense's performance in the series, Roenicke said that, finally, things seemed to be going the Brewers' way.
"Sometimes we get some breaks and we haven't capitalized on them," Roenicke said. "It was nice to do that. We got some breaks today."
Breaks have been a rare luxury for Milwaukee this season, as Roenicke said, but as the Brewers walked off the field on Wednesday with their third straight win, those few breaks they got over a three-game series could supply some serious confidence moving forward, as they face an upcoming slate that featured just as many divisional opponents as their much-ballyhooed nine-game stretch against Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis just a few weeks ago.
But for left fielder Ryan Braun, he said that the team's confidence has always been intact, even through the tough losing stretches Milwaukee has endured this season.
"I don't think we've ever lacked confidence," Braun said. "I think we've been really frustrated, and a lot of the games we've lost have been demoralizing. We've had a lot of games that have been difficult with the way that we've lost them. It's definitely nice to come back and win some games ... and get back to having a winning atmosphere and environment around here."
And while the Brewers likely remain out of playoff contention -- a sweep of one of the worst teams in baseball doesn't often do much, standings-wise -- Braun, like many of his teammates, have pointed to the historic postseason runs of baseball past to justify the chance that they still have it in them to earn at least a wildcard spot.
"Things are always contagious good or bad," Braun said. "You never know, there's a lot of baseball left. The most important thing is getting back to consistently playing winning baseball ... Hopefully a three-game sweep will get us back on the right track."
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