The team photo was all ready to be snapped near the mound at American Family Field. It was just missing one more adornment.
Right before snapping the team’s celebratory picture after a 3-1 win to clinch the National League Division Series over the Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Jake Bauers ran into the edge of the fray hoisting something in his right hand.
A ‘L’ flag.
Procured from a fan in the crowd, Bauers passed it off to a teammate. One player, perhaps not wanting it to be in the team photo, crumpled it in his fist. Another had a different idea.
“Gimme that,” said a booming voice.
It was Trevor Megill.
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The former Cubs pitcher who revived his career with the Brewers and made his first all-star appearance this season, grabbed the flag and held it up.
It was a moment that summarized not only the Brewers’ season, but Megill’s. After losing two straight games at Wrigley Field to force a Game 5 at American Family Field on Oct. 11, it was Megill, the closer for five months before a lat strain relegated him to a lower-leverage role, who started on the mound.
Facing his former team, one he acknowledged at the start of the series he had plenty of personal motivation against, the right-hander threw a scoreless first inning, the first of the series from a Milwaukee pitcher.
That set the tone for an excellent bullpen performance in which the Brewers allowed only four hits, sending themselves to the National League Championship Series and any Cubs fans with ‘W’ flags back south on the freeway.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Brewers celebrate on field with ‘L’ flag after NLDS victory over Cubs
