Jake Bauers hits go-ahead HR as Brewers take 3-0 lead

The arrangement helped put a win on the board last night, though the offense was limited to three runs and eight hits. The lineup: LF Jackson Chourio, 1B Jake Bauers, DH Christian Yelich, C William Contreras, 2B Brice Turang, CF Garrett Mitchell, SS Cooper Pratt, RF Sal Frelick and 3B David Hamilton.

Turang has been a fixture in the second spot in the Brewers’ lineup in the postseason, but he’ll slide down to the fifth spot in the order with Rays’ right-hander Nick Martinez on the hill on Friday. Jake Bauers moves up to the second spot in the order while Christian Yelich will hit third. Here’s the full lineup that the Brewers will roll out in front of their home faithful and the entire baseball world on Friday night: Jackson Chourio (LF),
Jake Bauers (1B), Christian Yelich (DH), William Contreras (C), Brice Turang (2B), Garrett Mitchell (CF), Cooper Pratt (SS), Sal Frelick (RF) and David Hamilton (3B).

He was certainly deserving of the honor. Bauers had a legendary at-bat to wear down Yoshinobu Yamamoto and spark the Brewers’ comeback in Game 2. He then swatted a go-ahead homer after a long battle against Blake Snell in Game 3 and chipped in three RBI during the series-clinching victory in Game 4. He hit .412 with a homer and six RBI during the four-game sweep. It’s an outstanding accomplishment for the 31-year-old journeyman who pondered retirement last offseason.

The Brewers fell behind early in this one as the Dodgers scored four times in the home half of the second inning. They never quit though. Bauers got the comeback started with a two-run double off of Tyler Glasnow in the fourth inning. He then worked a bases-loaded walk to bring in the tying run during a two-run uprising in the fifth inning. He has been an absolute menace in the batter’s box this postseason and a big reason why the Brewers will have a chance to bring home their first World Series Title.

Yelich took a seat against left-hander Blake Snell in Game 3 on Wednesday but he’s right back in there as the Brewers’ designated hitter as they look to complete their four-game sweep of the two-time defending World Champions. Here’s the full lineup that the Brewers will deploy against Dodgers’ right-hander Tyler Glasnow on Thursday: Jackson Chourio (LF), Brice Turang (2B), William Contreras (C), Jake Bauers (1B), Yelich (DH), Garrett Mitchell (CF), Cooper Pratt (SS), Sal Frelick (RF) and David Hamilton (3B).

Chourio, who delivered a game-winning single against San Diego superstar closer Mason Miller in Game 2, and the Brewers have a chance to eliminate the Padres on their home field and punch their ticket to the NLCS for the second consecutive season. Here’s the full lineup: Chourio (LF), Jake Bauers (1B), William Contreras (C), Brice Turang (2B), Christian Yelich (DH), Garrett Mitchell (CF), Cooper Pratt (SS), Sal Frelick (RF) and Joey Ortiz (3B).

Frelick and Hamilton sat in favor of Luis Lara and Joey Ortiz with a left-hander on the mound for the Padres in Game 1 on Saturday, but they’ll jump into the lineup against right-hander Michael King. The Brewers have also shuffled up the order of their lineup. Here’s the full lineup: Jackson Chourio (LF), Brice Turang (2B), Jake Bauers (1B), William Contreras (C), Garrett Mitchell (CF), Christian Yelich (DH), Frelick (RF), Cooper Pratt (SS) and Hamilton (3B).

The biggest development here is Lara getting the nod in right field with Jake Bauers at the cold corner over Andrew Vaughn. It doesn’t come as a surprise to see Bauers in the lineup, but the widely-held assumption was that he would be their primary right fielder in the postseason. It’s basically Lara getting the nod over Andrew Vaughn to face Padres lefty Robbie Ray. Here’s the full lineup: Jackson Chourio (LF), Brice Turang (2B), William Contreras (C), Bauers (1B), Christian Yelich (DH), Cooper Pratt (SS), Lara (RF), Garrett Mitchell (CF) and Joey Ortiz.

Bauers was one of a few regulars to sit Thursday after the Brewers clinched the NL Central, but he was also out of the lineup Friday and Saturday off against lefties, though he did get three plate appearances off the bench on Friday. He’s batting cleanup tonight.

The Brewers have clinched the division and are playing an early game, so it makes sense that they would rest a handful of their starters. Fantasy managers should expect them to take a similar approach next week, as they will want to give their starters an extra day of rest or two before the postseason.