The best wins, worst losses, best performances, biggest surprises and more. Look back at the 2018 Brewers season's superlatives

The playoffs are ahead for these 2018 Milwaukee Brewers, but with 162 regular-season games in the books, we look back at the performances and moments that defined this wild ride of a season. 

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Craziest win

1. Aug. 29: Brewers 13, Reds 12. The Brewers rallied from a 10-6 deficit, Christian Yelich hit for the cycle and Jesus Aguilar hit a home run in the 10th inning. Then, the Brewers had to hold on for dear life after Cincinnati — which scored in seven of the 10 innings — got a quick homer leading off their half.

2. Aug. 24: Brewers 7, Pirates 6. Down to their final out in the 15th inning, pitcher Jordan Lyles — the last guy available — walked, Erik Kratz followed with a two-run single to tie the game and Orlando Arcia won it with a single.

3. April 3: Brewers 5, Cardinals 4. It was the first game in MLB history that started with back-to-back homers and ended with them. The Brewers looked sunk in the ninth, down a run with two outs and nobody on, but Christian Yelich hit his first Brewers home run, and Ryan Braun followed one pitch later with a walk-off winner.

4. May 11: Brewers 11, Rockies 10. The Brewers were down at one point, 9-3, and rallied back in a thriller, with Manny Pina’s two-out, two-run homer tying the game in the ninth. Milwaukee then won the game in 10 innings.

5. Sept. 24: Brewers 6, Cardinals 4. It was a game in which the starting pitcher left after retiring just one batter, Josh Hader struggled, the Brewers rallied and then won on a botched pickoff play in St. Louis after a rain delay. It was a massive victory at a time when Milwaukee was battling for its playoff positioning, and the victory gave the Brewers a very enviable perch in the chase for home-field advantage.

Best offensive performance

1. Christian Yelich, Sept. 29 vs. Tigers. This is really representative of his incredible month of September, during which he locked up the MVP and batting title with 10 homers, 33 RBIs, a stagering 1.326 OPS and a .500 on-base percentage. With the chance to tie the Cubs for first place in the National League Central in the penultimate day of the season, Yelich homered twice -- once to bring his team back within a run from an early 3-0 deficit and another to give his team the final lead in a the seventh of a 6-5 triumph. Both bombs came against left-handers. He left the game within two RBI of the Triple Crown, something that hadn't been achieved in the National League since 1937.

2. Christian Yelich, Aug. 29 vs. Reds. Yelich went 6 for 6 and became the eighth player in franchise history to hit for the cycle and the fourth to collect six hits in a game. His triple capped it and also helped the Brewers win an insane 13-12 decision in 10 innings. It was a signature performance in a second half that put Yelich squarely in the National League MVP discussion. Let's cheat and also add his SECOND cycle of the year Sept. 17, when he went 4-for-4 and again capped it with a triple against the Reds, this time at Miller Park. 

3. Jesus Aguilar, June 22 vs. Cardinals. Aguilar belted his second walk-off home run of the year, helping the Brewers edge the Cardinals, 2-1. He also happened to account for the first Brewers run of the game, a home run in the seventh that broke up the no-hit bid by Cardinals rookie Jack Flaherty.

4. Keon Broxton, June 29 vs. Reds. Broxton, recently recalled to the team after spending the bulk of the season in Colorado Springs, reached base four times with two homers, and scored three runs to help the Brewers topple the Reds, 8-2. He used some baserunning magic to score a run and elude a rundown and also made a diving catch.

5. Jesus Aguilar, April 21 vs. Marlins. This is a recognition of a single at-bat, but it’s a doozie. On the 13th pitch in the bottom of the ninth, Aguilar homered to give the Brewers a 6-5 victory. It might be the moment we knew for sure that keeping Aguilar on the roster as the team broke camp was a very good call.

Bonus: Ryan Braun, March 30 at Padres. Perhaps the most unusual offensive performance is Braun’s 5-RBI effort — with just one hit. He had delivered an RBI groundout and sacrifice fly already when he hit a 3-run homer with the Brewers down to their final out in the ninth, a shot that turned a 6-5 deficit into an 8-6 lead and gave the Brewers a remarkable win in just the second game of 2018.

Best pitching performance

1. Josh Hader, April 30 vs. Reds. Josh Hader had a breakout season, but nothing could top what he accomplished in recording a 2 2/3-inning save against the Reds. He became the first in MLB history to navigate eight outs and record all via strikeout (with one walk mixed in), helping the Brewers notch a 6-5 win. Hader's many additional outings included striking out all six Cubs he faced in a September battle at Wrigley Field.

2. Freddy Peralta, May 13 vs. Rockies. Calling to mind some of the best debuts in Brewers history, Peralta set a franchise record with 13 strikeouts in his first appearance as his family watched him pitch — for the first time professionally — on Mother’s Day at Coors Field. He dazzled for 5 1/3 innings, and the Brewers prevailed, 7-3.

3. Brent Suter, May 8 vs. Indians. The likable lefty out-dueled reigning American League Cy Young candidate Corey Kluber, though the game was particularly notable for Suter’s home run off Kluber that accounted for the difference in a 3-2 game. Suter also made an amazing defensive play on the mound that turned into a double play.

4. Chase Anderson, June 12 vs. Cubs. It was a game better known for the baserunning play that helped Lorenzo Cain and Christian Yelich escape a rundown, but Anderson was dominant, allowing just one hit over seven innings with six strikeouts and two walks as the Brewers shut out the Cubs, 4-0. Anderson’s lone hit allowed was a second-inning single on a swinging bunt in front of home plate by Willson Contreras.

5. Jhoulys Chacin, Aug 14 vs. Cubs. Chacin was one of the biggest surprises of the year for the Brewers, and he was at his best in seven innings at Wrigley Field, with a season-best 10 strikeouts and just three hits and two walks allowed on 105 pitches. The Brewers won, 7-0.

Best defensive play

1. Keon Broxton, July 4 vs. Twins. Broxton made his third career catch at the wall to take away a home run in the ninth inning, this one from Brian Dozier for the second out. When Corey Knebel allowed a home run one batter later, it proved to be the difference in a 3-2 win.

2. Lorenzo Cain, July 31 at Dodgers. Cain stole a home run from Cody Bellinger to end the seventh, preserving a 1-0 lead that he himself created with his own RBI hit. The Brewers ultimately held on to win, 1-0.

3. Ryan Braun, Aug. 11 at Braves. Braun made a full-extension grab to save a run in the seventh, and then Milwaukee scored three times in the eighth to rally for a much-needed 4-2 win.

4. Brent Suter, June 27 vs. Royals. Pitcher Brent Suter did a somersault going after a ball, got to his feet, then made a diving tag as Alex Gordon raced by for an out against the Royals in a 5-4 Brewers loss.

5. Lorenzo Cain, June 8 at Phillies. Cain tipped his own cap to himself in a lighthearted moment after scooping a ball out of the air that had glanced off Orlando Arcia’s glove in a 12-4 win over the Phillies.

Toughest loss

1. July 15 at Pirates. In the final game before the All-Star break, the Pirates capped off a five-game sweep that had the Brewers in free fall. Milwaukee blew a two-run lead in the bottom of the ninth, then took the lead in the 10th, only to watch it slip away as the rain poured down on a two-out double by Josh Bell (with a throw that appeared would get the runner at the plate, but it trickled away). The sweep also emboldened the Pirates to trade for Chris Archer — a player the Brewers could have theoretically pursued at the trade deadline. The loss also followed up a Saturday doubleheader sweep in what was easily the team’s worst stretch of 2018.

2. Aug. 8 vs. Padres. It felt like a 4-2 lead was in hand in the ninth inning, but Corey Knebel’s struggles continued when he couldn’t retire any of four batters, and the Padres scored six runs in the ninth to win going away, 8-4, and leave the Brewers’ bullpen floundering (with a series loss to one of the worst teams in the league). Joakim Soria served up a decisive grand slam to Hunter Renfroe.

3.Aug. 21 vs. Reds. The Brewers took a 4-0 lead but ceded it back, thanks to a series of infield singles and misplays in a fourth inning from hell. Still, Milwaukee clawed back to tie in the eighth on Jonathan Schoop's homer and Ryan Braun's double. But old friend Scooter Gennett hit the first pitch he saw from lefty reliever Dan Jennings for a ninth-inning homer, and the Reds prevailed, 9-7.

4. April 7 vs. Cubs. Bad infield defense allowed the Cubs to score four times in the ninth after the Brewers entered the final frame with a 2-1 lead. Chicago ultimately won, 5-2. Travis Shaw booted what could have been a game-ending double play.

5. Aug. 12 at Braves. The Brewers had never recorded 19 hits in a game and somehow not won, until this day. Milwaukee fell, 8-7.

Best social media moment

1. Aguilar makes the All-Star team. The Brewers staged a full-court press to help Jesus Aguilar win the “Final Vote” for the All-Star Game in July, and the campaign was successful as the perfect accent on Aguilar’s fantastic first half.

2. The Sandlot. A remake of a scene from ‘The Sandlot,’ starring Brett Phillips, Stephen Vogt, Christian Yelich and others, gave the Brewers a fun note to open the season on.

3. Brett Phillips emerges from … where? He’s a Kansas City Royal now, but Brett Phillips was one of the most entertaining personalities on the team, and his emergence from under the dugout during the media’s pregame meeting with manager Craig Counsell was certainly memorable.

4. Mike Moustakas with a sharpie. Shortly after he was traded to the Brewers, Mike Moustakas was photographed in a Target buying a sharpie for a fan and signing his shirt. It quickly went viral.

5. Dumb and Dumber. With Brent Suter stealing the show as he channeled his inner Jim Carrey, the Brewers recreated the ‘Sandlot’ fun with a Dumb and Dumber spoof in early June.

Five massive roster decisions

1. Jan. 25. Milwaukee traded for Christian Yelich (a deal that sent Lewis Brinson, Isan Diaz, Jordan Yamamoto and Monte Harrison the other way) and signed Lorenzo Cain on the same day in the offseason. Outfield looked like a position of strength for the Brewers, so it was an intriguing, unexpected development. The two both became MVP candidates in giving the Brewers a huge shot in the arm.

2. The Brewers go unconventional in the preseason at first base. What if the Brewers had gone a more conventional route and elected not to keep Jesus Aguilar out of spring training? Aguilar was the third first baseman on the roster at the start of camp, behind Eric Thames and Ryan Braun. By May and for the rest of the season, he was the everyday option. Aguilar broke out in a monster way, putting up an MVP-like first half, making the All-Star team, appearing in the Home Run Derby and belting more than 30 homers.

3. Signing Jhoulys Chacin (and not anyone else in the SP market). It’s not like Chacin was bad last year; he went 13-10 with a 3.89 ERA in San Diego. But in December, when the Brewers signed Chacin to a 2-year deal, it was met with a collective, “That’s the pitching acquisition we’ve been waiting for?” The deal was for a combined $15.5 million. Meanwhile, the “big 4” of the offseason all failed to produce in a way that matched their dollar amounts (though Lance Lynn was a low-risk signing for just one year): Jake Arrieta (3 years, $75 million), Alex Cobb (4 years, $57 million), Yu Darvish (6 years, $126 million) and Lynn (1 year, $12 million). Among pitching offseason signings, probably the only value deal that rivals Chacin is the Cardinals’ signing of Miles Mikolas, who signed for the same figures as Chacin.

4. Keeping Wade Miley. Wade Miley was a legitimate 2012 Rookie of the Year candidate but had fallen way off and bounced around since then. He had a great spring with the Brewers on a minor league deal and appeared destined to make the team before an injury flared up just as the team was set to break camp. The Brewers tried to keep him, however, and even when a second injury kept him out of action following his Brewers debut, he was back with the team and delivering huge starts down the stretch.

5. Acquiring Curtis Granderson (and others) at the August deadline. Once again, the Brewers acquired a player at what seemed like a position of strength when they snatched up the veteran outfielder from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for Demi Orimoloye. But Granderson proved invaluable in September and became an every-day option against righties. The Brewers won all five games that Gio Gonzalez started, and Xavier Cedeno became a reliable bullpen option against lefties, making the August deadline haul perhaps the most impressive it's ever been for a Brewers team.

Five things that went wrong

1. Josh Hader’s old tweets. The All-Star Game was an abject disaster, even with Christian Yelich hitting a home run and Jeremy Jeffress working a clean inning. Josh Hader served up a homer that gave the American League the lead, then was the subject of the postgame spotlight when old tweets expressing racist and homophobic sentiments came to light. Hader will need a lot of time to repair his reputation off the field, but he bounced back on it to deliver a strong second half.

2. Jimmy Nelson never comes back. The hope was that the team could get Jimmy Nelson back sometime midway through the year after he needed shoulder surgery following a freak play on the basepaths late in 2017. It never happened in 2018, and the hope is that Nelson will be fully ready in 2019. The pitching staff was able to overcome his absence even though nobody truly emerged as an "ace," outside of maybe Chacin.

3. Corey Knebel injured. In early April, Corey Knebel fell off the mound with a hamstring injury that looked like it could be season-ending. He came back much sooner than expected, then struggled in his return. It was a bad situation for a player who made the All-Star Team in 2017 and was the team’s most dominant bullpen arm. But he rounded back into form by September and is a key piece of the squad heading into the postseason.

4. The Jonathan Schoop trade. The Brewers jettisoned infielder Jonathan Villar and pitching prospect Luis Ortiz at the trading deadline to bring in Jonathan Schoop from the Orioles, a surprising move considering the team had already added to its infield by acquiring Mike Moustakas. Schoop went into a brutal slump to start his time with the Brewers, though he also produced some very big home runs, including a grand slam against Madison Bumgarner that might be one of the most magical moments of the year. 

5. Matt Albers struggles. One of the offseason acquisitions that figured to bolster the bullpen, Matt Albers had a 1.59 ERA in April and an even better 0.77 mark in May. But injuries led to ineffectiveness that essentially put him out of commission the rest of the year.

Five bobbleheads we need in 2019

1. Christian Yelich on a bicycle. Yelich's MVP-caliber season makes him a slam dunk to earn bobblehead portrayal, but wouldn't it be all the better to commemorate his two cycles in 2018 with a top prop? Great opportunity in the vein of Travis Shaw at the mayoral podium.

2. Jeremy Jeffress. With his trademarked glare on the mound, Jeffress has enjoyed a breakout in 2018 and deserves to be engraved in bobble for the first time.

3. Jesus Aguilar. Clearing 100 RBIs, making the All-Star team and emerging as a popular and lovable player, Aguilar is more than deserving after his huge breakout.

4. Jhoulys Chacin. The reliable starter turned out to be a huge offseason pickup, and now he belongs in the bobblehead canon.

5. David Stearns. Doug Melvin has a bobblehead, and now it's time to commemorate the young architect behind the team's rapid three-year turnaround.