Top of the first, one out, (presumptive NL MVP) Christian Yelich on first after a walk, Ryan Braun at the dish. *CRACK!* The sweet sound of the bat smacking the baseball for an RBI double. 1-0, Milwaukee Brewers win. No, seriously, that was the game-winning hit. The Los Angeles Dodgers would not score a run in Game 3 of the NLCS. The Brewers would go on to score three more runs, including another home run from Orlando Arcia, (Who would have thought?) to win 4-0 and take a 2-1 series lead.

That one run in the top of the first inning was step one in the Brewers’ formula for victory.  Get the lead early and hand it over the those out-getters. Jhoulys Chacin has been the best “initial out-getter” for the Crew all year long, and he showed why yet again. 5 1/3 innings, 3 hits, 0 runs, 2 walks, and 6 strikeouts. Chacin had the Dodgers off balance all night. He did his job. The rest of the out-getters (Knebel, Soria, Hader, and yes Jeffress) combined for 8 strikeouts and zero runs to slam the door shut on the Dodgers. (Although the ninth inning got hairy, credit to Jeffress for getting the outs.) The formula was complete and resulted, in what it normally does, a win.

After another well scripted, formulaic game managed by Craig Counsell, why are there still discussions on whether this can work? Joe Buck and John Smoltz constantly debated and second guessed Counsell’s strategy, throughout their commentary of the game. The Fox Sports 1 crew in studio (dreadful) did the same thing pre and postgame. This isn’t new what Counsell is doing. He’s being doing this all year to the tune of a 101- 68 record. (Including 5-1 in postseason so far.)

Why are pundits STILL questioning this? The formula works. I know it’s different and people fear change, but stop questioning what has been proven. The Brewers aren’t going to stop what has been successful for them because pundits don’t understand it. Keep sleeping, the Brewers will keep winning.