Eric Sogard making the most of his second chance with the Brewers

Todd Rosiak
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The Milwaukee Brewers' Eric Sogard celebrates a home run in the dugout.

SAN DIEGO - Quick, somebody pinch Eric Sogard.

The utility infielder has been living a dream for a little less than a week now. Initially an under-the-radar callup by the Milwaukee Brewers when Ryan Braun was placed on the disabled list, Sogard already is closing in on cult-hero status among fans just five games into his tenure with the team.

In his debut last Friday, hours after arriving from Class AAA Colorado Springs, he reached base three times and socked a go-ahead, two-run home run in the sixth inning of an eventual win over the New York Mets at Miller Park.

On Monday, he became just the sixth player in Brewers history to homer in each of his first two starts when he went deep in the 10th inning of an eventual 6-5 loss to the San Diego Padres – a turn of events that made his saddened daughter, Saydee, a viral sensation.

Then on Tuesday, Sogard collected a career-high four hits, including two doubles, to help lead the Brewers to a 6-2 victory over the Padres and send Saydee out of Petco Park a much happier girl than she was a night earlier.

RELATED:Padres score brownie points with Sogard's daughter

"I wouldn’t be a good father if I made her go through that again, right?" he quipped.

A veteran of 435 major-league games entering this season, all with the Oakland A's, Sogard had experienced some pretty heady moments before. His bespectacled look even had generated a "Nerd Power" rooting section that now has followed him to Milwaukee.

But to do what Sogard is doing now, on a rebuilding team that's suddenly generating some buzz, after missing all of last season to left-knee surgery – it's almost too good to be true.

"Having fun," he said with a smile. "This is a group of guys that makes it easy to have fun. Being a part of this, it’s exciting to go out every day and battle with them."

Sogard joined the Brewers on Dec. 15, when he signed a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training. He was drafted by the Padres in 2007, debuted with the A's in 2010 and spent six seasons with them before the operation on his patellar tendon in April 2016 led to them parting ways.

GAME STORY: Offense breaks through in ninth

NOTES: Brewers move Peralta to bullpen

Sogard was solid for the Brewers this spring. But the presence of super utility man Hernán Pérez and the emergence of slugger Jesús Aguilar left no room for him on the major-league roster, so he went down without complaint to Colorado Springs and performed.

He was hitting .330 with three homers and 17 RBI and sporting a .421 on-base percentage for the Sky Sox when he was summoned back to the majors, and he brought that hot bat with him. He already has logged two doubles, tied his career high with the two homers and driven in four runs for the Brewers.

"I feel extremely comfortable at the plate," he said. "Seeing the ball well, trying to get a good pitch, and I think I’ve been doing a pretty good job of not swinging at bad pitches and just waiting for the right one and putting a good swing on it."

Sogard started at shortstop Monday and then at third base Tuesday in place of the injured Travis Shaw. He made several plays defensively in each game that caught the attention of manager Craig Counsell, a former utility infielder and a big fan of Sogard's.

"You call guys up, and you’re looking for spots to play them," said Counsell, who kept Sogard in the lineup Wednesday night, replacing Jonathan Villar at second base. "Eric was playing very well, and with Travis’ injury it’s opened up some spots to play, and he’s taken advantage of it.

BOX SCOREBrewers 3, Padres 1

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"The thing that sticks out about Eric right away is we talk about guys that slow the game down, but he plays the game at this great pace where nothing surprises him. He hasn’t played much shortstop and he made a heck of a play to really keep the game going (Monday) night.

"He’s done a nice job in the field, and obviously he’s had some huge hits for us."

All in a day's work for the 5-foot-8, 180-pounder, who turns 31 on Monday.

"That’s my job," he said. "I can play wherever. Obviously to get out there and help the team any way I can, that’s my job. I’m definitely grateful to get a little playing time, get out there and help them win."

The Brewers will have some decisions to make regarding the roster whenever Braun returns from his left-calf strain, which could be as early as Sunday in Chicago. There would appear to be some duplication with Sogard and fellow utility man Nick Franklin, who also plays the outfield and is a switch-hitter.

But until that all shakes out, Sogard is going to continue living the dream.

"I’m just grateful to be out there after missing a full year last year," he said. "It puts a different perspective on the game and allows me to go out and have some fun."

COMING UP

Thursday: Brewers at Padres, 2:40 p.m. Milwaukee RHP Zach Davies (4-2, 5.80) vs. San Diego RHP Trevor Cahill (3-2, 3.27). TV: None. Radio: AM-620.