Milwaukee’s push for the franchise’s first World Series title came to an end Tuesday night in Atlanta with a 5-4 loss to the Braves in Game 4 of the NLDS. The home team claimed the series 3-1 with the win and advanced to the NLCS to face either Los Angeles or San Francisco.

For the Brewers, their ride came to an end largely due to an ineffective offense that managed six runs over the entirety of the series, including four that were the result of two-run homers from Rowdy Tellez in Game 1 and Game 4. Otherwise, it was a brutal effort from most of the lineup.

“I know as an offense we didn’t swing the bats well,” centerfielder Lorenzo Cain said. “I know we’re definitely capable of swinging the bats better than we did in the series. It just didn’t happen. For whatever reason it
just didn’t happen.”

Perhaps it was fitting that Atlanta’s final out came on a strikeout of Christian Yelich, the 2018 NL MVP that has played nothing like it the last two seasons. The outfielder went 1-for-5 Tuesday with three strikeouts. He went just 3-for-15 in the playoffs, including eight strikeouts.

He was far from alone, though, as Milwaukee started the NLDS 0-for-20 with runners in scoring position, the third-worst mark in MLB postseason history. Omar Narvaez was able to snap that streak in the fourth inning with a run-scoring single that also broke a streak of 22 straight innings without a run. Lorenzo Cain would follow with a single of his own to bring in another run and give Milwaukee a 2-0 lead. It could have been more, as the bases were loaded, but Willy Adames struck out, one of 15 on the day for the Crew.

But the Braves always had an answer to the little offense Milwaukee could muster. Eric Lauer went 3 2/3 innings before Atlanta chased him with the bases loaded. Pinch hitter Eddie Rosario then delivered a two RBI single off of reliever Hunter Strickland to tie the game. After Tellez gave the Brewers a 4-2 lead in the fifth with his home run, Atlanta got two runs in its half of the inning off of Aaron Ashby, including a tying single from Travis d’Arnaud.

While the four runs were all Milwaukee could muster, the Braves got the biggest hit of the series from Freddie Freeman in the eighth inning. After Brandon Woodruff worked a scoreless 1 1/3 innings on two days rest, manager Craig Counsell turned to Josh Hader in the eighth. The All-Star closer struck out the first two batters before Freeman took him deep for a solo home run — the first homer Hader had given up to a lefty in more than a year.

“He had to pitch in the game and it was the right part of the lineup for him to pitch to,” Counsell said of turning to Hader in the eighth inning for just the second time this season. “It was our best against their best. I don’t think you regret having that situation. It’s how it works. That’s how the game works. That’s how it’s
supposed to work.”

It was all Atlanta closer Will Smith needed, as he stranded the tying run at first base with the strikeout of Yelich and punched the Braves ticket to their second straight NLCS appearance.

The loss ended what had been an impressive run for the Brewers. They won the second-most games in franchise history, claimed their third NL Central title and had one of the best starting pitching staffs in baseball. But their offense, which had been a question early in the season and again down the stretch, led to an earlier exit than anyone wanted or expected.

“In the moment right now, we’re all really disappointed,” Counsell said. “And it’s hard to get past the disappointment right now sitting here right now. It just is. But I think in the end we had big goals. We didn’t quite get there. But you win 95 games. It’s a special group. And they did accomplish some special things.”

There were plenty of accomplishments but it’s hard to ignore the struggles in the final month of the season. After going to 34 games above .500 on Sept. 12, the Brewers went 7-15 the rest of the way.

“It just felt like it’s a tough way to end the year,” Woodruff said. “We felt we had a special group. It’s going to hurt for a while, but we’ll get over it and move on to next year.”