Superstitious? Nah, not Mark Attanasio.
OK. Maybe a little.
Maybe enough for the Milwaukee Brewers principal owner to ask the team’s director of equipment to glue together a pair of Nikes near and dear to his heart.
And maybe enough to wear them when his team played the Chicago Cubs in the winner-take-all Game 5 of the National League Division Series, just as he had when the Brewers knocked out the Arizona Diamondbacks in the same round in 2011.
“The last exhilaration like this actually goes back to 2011 when Carlos Gomez scored,” Attanasio said when asked how he reflected amid the on-field celebration after a 3-1 victory Saturday, Oct. 11.
“I haven’t let out a scream like that in 15 years.”
Then it was Nyjer Morgan driving in Gomez in the 10th inning at what was known as Miller Park. This time it was William Contreras, Andrew Vaughn and Brice Turang all hitting solo homers and five pitchers combining on a four-hitter at American Family Field.
As in 2018, the Brewers moved on to meet the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS, starting with home games Oct. 13 and 14.
Here’s what else Attanasio had to say in a quick, small group interview:
On getting over the hump after losing first playoff series five times since 2019
“This reminds me of getting over the hump and getting into the playoffs back in 2005-6-7. It started to feel that way, no matter what we did. The narrative was the Brewers fade in the playoffs, the Brewers won’t go anywhere, forgetting nobody believed we’d even get to the playoffs. Once you do, oh, they failed again. Five years of futility until this. It’s huge to get back to the NLCS.”
On meeting the Dodgers, the opponent that eliminated the Brewers in their most recent NLCS in 2018
“We had to get through the Cubs and we have to get through the Dodgers to get where we want to get. And we’re up for it.”
On beating the team’s biggest rival, the Cubs, to advance
“For me, we just had to get here. It didn’t matter who it was. Unless we won this series, it’d be another sorry narrative. Instead it’s a real step forward for the organization and something we’ll always remember.”
On Andrew Vaughn, obtained from the White Sox as a minor-leaguer, becoming the starting first baseman and hitting two key home runs in the series
“Matt Arnold (general manager) and his whole group identified him and Murph (manager Pat Murphy) put him in right away. The day he showed up, whether it was 4 o’clock, 5 o’clock in the afternoon, Murph said, you’re starting. He was like, ‘What do you mean, I’m starting?’ ‘You’re starting.’ It’s not only Matt identifying him but Murphy believing in him.”
On what he’s enjoyed most about the 2025 team
“The fact that we can win games like this, this way. Everybody talks about playing baseball the right way. Perfect defense tonight. Key hitting. Listen, they’ve got a great lineup over there, so when you hold them to one run, wow. Wow. Wow.”
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee Brewers owner Mark Attanasio reflects after NLDS victory
