Six outs? No problem: Jeffress bounces back

MILWAUKEE -- Brewers closer Jeremy Jeffress finished the evening with an emphatic fist pump and a scream of joy that was drowned out by a roaring crowd of 44,547 at Miller Park. In that instant, he showed the world that he has wrapped plenty of resilience and toughness around a repertoire that includes a 96-mph fastball and knee-buckling curveball.
Twenty-four hours earlier, Jeffress had let a two-run lead slip away in the ninth inning of a game the Brewers won in 10. Nevermind that he recovered beautifully and got out of the inning with the game tied.
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Afterward, he said he would be ready the next time he was called on, and that he hoped it would be sooner rather than later. That's exactly what it was.
Brewers manager Craig Counsell didn't just call on Jeffress again on Friday, he called on him to get the final six outs of a postseason game. Who needs a pep talk when you've got a manager who does something like that?
Jeffress responded by getting those six outs and nailing down the Brewers' 4-0 victory over the Rockies in Game 2 of the National League Division Series.
Milwaukee heads to Colorado for Game 3 on Sunday with a 2-0 lead, and history says the Brewers are in good shape. Teams that have won Games 1 and 2 in a best-of-five series at home have gone on to take the series 24 of 27 times.
Milwaukee's success begins with a bullpen that was baseball's best in September with a 1.98 ERA. That dominance has carried right into the NLDS, with the Brewers allowing just two runs -- both charged to Jeffress in Game 1 -- in 11 innings.
But back to Jeffress, the fist pump and the show of confidence from his manager.

"I mean, it was great," Jeffress said. "The confidence, I can't put it into words. And to see those two innings in front of me just gave me even more confidence to know I've got a lot of work to do, and I can go out there and be myself, do what I've got to do. And that fist pump is to show you the passion I have for this game. I'm enjoying every single moment and that shows."
He finished the eighth by striking out Rockies shortstop Trevor Story on a curveball. After allowing a leadoff single in the top of the ninth, Jeffress got the next three hitters on two strikeouts and an infield grounder to second base.

When Counsell was asked about going back to Jeffress after a poor night at the office in Game 1, he didn't hesitate.
"Yesterday was not part of the equation for me," he said. "This is a guy who's been an All-Star and one of the more dominant relievers in this league this year. You know, I'm proud of him. You get thrown right back in the fire after Game 1 of the playoffs where you gave up some runs, and you've got to have a little fortitude, and knowing that you got six outs to get, and that's not easy. I'm proud of him for handling it well and doing a nice job."

Jeffress brought his four-year-old daughter, Jurnee, to the postgame news conference. She sat happily in his lap and introduced herself to reporters before turning the microphone back to her dad. Across the hall in the Brewers' clubhouse, Jeffress was the biggest storyline.
"I'm so happy for him," bullpen coach Lee Tunnell said. "He's a competitor, and there was no doubt he wanted back out there."

Jeffress became Milwaukee's closer in late August when Corey Knebel struggled. When Knebel returned from a brief stay in the Minors on Sept. 1, Jeffress had established himself as the ninth-inning guy.
Knebel hasn't allowed a run since his return, and with All-Star lefty Josh Hader also in the mix, the Brewers take a certain confidence and swagger into the late innings, one reason they'll bring a 10-game winning streak into Game 3.
"To bounce back and pitch two innings and put up a couple of zeros, it says a little bit about the makeup of this kid," Rockies manager Bud Black said. "Seems to be a little bit resilient, as well."