Brewers open playoff Saturday against Arizona

• Milwaukee Brewers

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MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee Brewers will open their National League Division Series at Miller Park on Saturday against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Central Division champions earned home-field advantage for the first round by winning their final regular season game last night, 7-3 over Pittsburgh at home.

It gave the Brewers a team-record 96th victory against 66 losses. Zack Greinke went six innings for the win. Pitching on three days’ rest, Greinke gave up two runs on five hits with a walk. He struck out four, giving him 201 “K’s” for the season – and he joined Yovani Gallardo as the first Brewers’ teammates ever to amass 200 strikeouts in the same year. Greinke also improved to 11-0 at home, making him the 14th Major League pitcher since 1900 to win at least 10 games at home without a loss. Milwaukee never trailed, as they went full-tilt to try-and-start the playoffs at home and take advantage of their Major League-best 57-24 home record. Solo homers by Jonathan Lucroy and Corey Hart put them in front early. Carlos Gomez belted a three-run blast in the fourth inning which made it 5-1, and Milwaukee rolled from there. Jeff Locke took the loss. Just under 42,000 looked on, as the Brewers set a new season attendance record with 3,717,033.

Ryan Braun went 0-for-4, and he finished second for the National League batting title behind Jose Reyes of the Mets. Braun finished at .332, and Reyes at .337. Reyes had a bunt single in his final game, and then sat down to preserve his numbers. Prince Fielder lost the N-L home run race to Matt Kemp of the Dodgers. Kemp had one homer last night to finish with 39. Fielder ended up with 38 in second place. Both All-Stars said making the post-season was much sweeter than winning their personal categories. Braun said it’s “extremely challenging” to get to the post-season, and that’s been his top priority. Fielder said the situation is quote, “bigger than me right now.” John Axford ended up tied for the National League saves’ title with Atlanta’s Craig Kimbrel, both with 46. Axford pitched the ninth last night in a non-save situation. Brewers’ manager Ron Roenicke got his team to the playoffs in his first year as a big league skipper. He has post-season experience on the Angels’ staff and said quote, “This is what it’s all about.” The Brewers are embarking on their second playoff of run in four years, and only their third since 1982.

Starting times were not immediately set for the best-of-five National League Division Series. Saint Louis earned the Wild Card, and will play at Philadelphia. The Cardinals overcame a 10-and-a-half game deficit in the Wild Card standings and overtook Atlanta on the season’s final night. All Brewers’ first-round games will be televised by TBS or TNT.

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