Brewers super sub Jesus Aguilar never had an at-bat like this one, 'not even in Nintendo'

No one had seen anything like it, certainly not to win a game.

Brewers reserve Jesus Aguilar was in survival mode for much of his 13-pitch battle with Miami reliever Junichi Tazawa in the bottom of the ninth inning Saturday night at Miller Park. Seven times, Aguilar stayed alive by fouling off two-strike pitches.

Behind immediately in the count, 0-2, Aguilar had the kitchen sink thrown at him by Tazawa. Over the course of the at-bat, he saw one curve ball, one slider, five splitters and six fastballs, the last of which he did not miss.

"Early on, I was looking for that split," Aguilar said. "As the at-bat went along, I was just looking for a pitch I could hit."

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Aguilar sent that final fastball, lucky pitch No. 13, far into the night to right-center, a no-doubter from the moment it left his bat. The titanic drive barely missed the Toyota Highlander parked in a two-level display where few in-game drives reach, giving Aguilar his first walk-off homer and the Brewers an improbable 6-5 victory over the Marlins. 

Had Aguilar's drive struck the vehicle, a random fan would have received it, so it came close to being an extra bonus for those who witnessed it. It was the longest at-bat to result in a walk-off homer in the majors since September 1997, when the Angels' Garret Anderson also blasted one on the 13th pitch against Minnesota.

"I've never seen anything like that," said manager Craig Counsell, whose team has won five in a row for the first time since before the all-star break last season. "I forgot the at-bat started 0-2.

"Eleven pitches later, an opposite-field home run. I've never seen anything better than that, for sure. He fouled off some tough pitches. It was a battle. The off-speed stuff, he was just staying alive."

And, oh yeah, Aguilar had just entered the game in the top of the ninth inning in a double-switch with reliever Jeremy Jeffress. He had zero game-action swings yet showed no rust whatsoever from sitting on the bench for nearly three hours.

"This is what he has shown he has an ability to do," Counsell said. "Often, his days are one at-bat. He has become a force in the National League off the bench. I don't know, around the league, of guys who are considered more dangerous (as reserves), and it's been that way for a while."

Asked if he ever had an at-bat like that, at any level, even Little League back in Venezuela, Aguilar smiled and said, "Not even in Nintendo."

This is why the Brewers were determined to keep Aguilar out of spring training, even though roster numbers worked against him, especially when leftfielder Ryan Braun began playing some first base. Aguilar had proven too valuable as a backup first baseman last season, slugging 16 homers with 52 RBI in 279 at-bats as a 26-year-old rookie. 

This was Aguilar's first home run of 2018 but consider the damage he already has inflicted during limited action: .419 batting average, .486 on-base percentage, .645 slugging percentage. Only four strikeouts, an amazingly low number for a big slugger who doesn't see consistent playing time. 

Ask Tazawa how tough it is to strike out Aguilar. On more than one pitch, the man they call "Aggie" was fooled, only to get a small piece of the ball to stay alive. Then, boom, a really big fly.

As for doing that cold off the bench, Aguilar said, "I'm always trying to stay ready. I go and hit in the (indoor) cages. I stretch; I hit. I was supposed to hit early on, so I was ready."

The fun-loving Aguilar is one of the most beloved players in a tight-knit clubhouse, so the guys had a blast dousing him with various liquids and tearing off his jersey in a raucous celebration at home plate. Travis Shaw, who has been having tremendous at-bats of his own on this home stand, bopping homers and drawing walks by the bunches, marveled at what Aguilar did in that game-winning confrontation with Tazawa.

"It doesn't matter how many at-bats he has or doesn't have (in a game), he puts together a good at-bat," Shaw said. "It's crazy what he continues to do, coming off the bench like that in limited opportunities.

"That's an amazing at-bat. That was a bomb, too. It was way out of here. It's remarkable."

Thus ended a night in which the Brewers found themselves behind, 4-0, in the second inning. They kept pecking away until finally drawing even in the eighth when Miami leftfielder Derek Dietrich couldn't come up with Eric Sogard's towering fly ball, allowing Shaw to score from second with two down.

The scoring on the play was later changed from an error to an RBI double for Sogard, but everybody knew Dietrich should have caught the ball. The Brewers put themselves in position to take advantage of that break because four relievers contributed shutout innings after starter Brent Suter allowed five runs.

"I thought if we could keep putting up zeroes, we had a chance," said Counsell, who used his high-leverage relievers while trailing, something he doesn't do that often.

"We took a little chance with that, there's no question. But these guys needed to pitch, and it was their turn to pitch. It worked out well."

Aguilar made sure of that with an at-bat he'll never forget. Nor will those who witnessed it.