Brewers 1B Rowdy Tellez pitches 9th of playoff-clinching win - ESPN

Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Rowdy Tellez didn't take a swing in the team's 16-1 Friday night win over the Miami Marlins, but still had a performance to be remembered.

With the game out of hand, manager Craig Counsell turned to Tellez to finish off the team's victory, which clinched a postseason trip for the fifth time in six years.

«Cy Young candidate, y'know,» Tellez said after throwing a scoreless ninth inning, in which he allowed one hit, one walk and earned a strikeout of Jesus Sanchez, who swung and missed on a 63 mph fastball.

Tellez said his appearance on the mound came after a quick conversation with Counsell, who asked in the seventh inning if the 6-foot-4, 270-pound slugger can throw strikes.

«I said yes. Absolutely,» Tellez recounted.

Despite having to borrow left-hander Wade Miley's glove, Tellez said he didn't have any nerves and drew inspiration from a Hall of Fame pitcher.

«Sit on the corners, watch [Greg] Maddux work,» Tellez said he told catcher Victor Caratini.

«They're already tweeting Cy Young candidate,» Tellez jokingly told a teammate.

The win went to 2021 Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes, who threw five scoreless innings and was backed by a 12-run second inning that put things out of reach early.

«Twelve runs — I didn't know that was possible,» said Burnes, who had not won since July 20. «Obviously, it makes the next innings go a little easier.»

Milwaukee sent 15 batters to the plate in the second against relievers Steven Okert (3-2) and Bryan Hoeing during the second-largest inning in team history. The Brewers scored 13 runs in the fifth to beat the California Angels 20-7 on July 8, 1990.

Two-run homers by Josh Donaldson and Christian Yelich started and capped the scoring. Mark Canha also