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The Milwaukee Brewers are now two victories shy of their first World Series championship, and an unexpected contributor has emerged as a key figure in their run. Left-handed reliever Aaron Ashby, who has been dependable over the past three seasons, has elevated his game to a historic level this October.
Ashby has outperformed closer Trevor Megill to become Milwaukee's most trusted reliever, a fact underscored in Saturday night's Game 2. Manager Pat Murphy called on Ashby to record the final five outs in a 5-4 win over the Tampa Bay Rays, bypassing Megill. Murphy stuck with Ashby even after the lefty surrendered a leadoff double in the ninth and faced the dangerous Yandy Diaz with the game on the line.
The result was not only a 2-0 series advantage for the Brewers but also a place for Ashby among the most exclusive playoff performers in baseball history.
Historic Postseason Run
Through eight appearances this postseason, Ashby has logged 15.2 innings, allowing just five hits and no runs while striking out 17. Murphy has asked him to record at least five outs seven times and has used him to close out games three times.
After tossing 1.2 scoreless frames in Game 2, Ashby now stands one out away from Andrew Miller's all-time record of 16 scoreless innings to begin a postseason, set with Cleveland in 2016. Like Miller, Ashby is being deployed for multiple innings against the opposition's best hitters, regardless of handedness. Also like Miller, Ashby is a former starter, so extended outings are familiar territory.
Miller eventually allowed three runs over his final two appearances of that 2016 run. If Ashby can keep opponents off the scoreboard for the remainder of this postseason, he will own the record for most innings in a single playoff run without allowing a run.
Key Analysis
Ashby's emergence as a multi-inning weapon has given Murphy a flexible, high-leverage option that has reshaped how the Brewers manage the late innings. His ability to neutralize both left- and right-handed hitters has been critical, and his historic pace adds another layer of intrigue to a World Series that already has Milwaukee on the brink of history.
Originally reported by yahoo.