'All of a sudden he's Spider-manning': Rookie's pair of reckless grabs leave all in awe

MILWAUKEE -- Luis Lara initially lost the ball.

When Twins third baseman Brooks Lee smoked a Jacob Misiorowski four-seamer deep into right field, it was evident Lara had trouble tracking it down. But then, just as the American Family Field crowd expressed audible concern, the Brewers’ rookie got a bead on the ball, made a last-second sprint and snared it near to the top of the fence with a leaping grab.

“I felt he gave up on it,” Lee said, “and then all of a sudden he's Spider-Manning.”

The catch undoubtedly prevented an extra-base hit and helped keep the game tied in the sixth. But the most impressive part about it? It wasn’t even his best play of the day.

Lara saved his top defensive highlight for the 10th inning, crashing into the right-field wall on a jumping catch that prevented Kody Clemens from driving in the go-ahead run. The grab ended up giving the Brewers just the fuel they needed to close out the game a half-inning later in their 4-3 walk-off win to take the series.

“I've seen it for years now in Double-A and all the levels I played with him,” said Misiorowski, who notched his 200th strikeout of the season Sunday. “It's one of those things that you're like, ‘Ope, there's our Lara.’ It’s really cool to finally see him do it at the big league level.”

Misiorowski was the biggest benefactor of Lara’s first grab. He had just given up a two-run homer to Clemens in the previous at-bat, which tied the game. One more extra-base hit could’ve spelled trouble, and based on Lara’s initial read, that’s exactly what was about to unfold. But after Milwaukee’s No. 3 prospect closed in and made the grab, Misiorowski threw his arms in the air and made a visible sigh of relief.

“He's a ballplayer, man,” manager Pat Murphy said. “That's why the organization made a long-term commitment to him, because he's a ballplayer.”

Lara proved as much four innings later, when Clemens appeared to be on the verge of putting Minnesota ahead.

“When I saw the ball off the bat,” Lara said via interpreter Daniel de Mondesert, “I just knew whatever happened, I was going to find a way to make the play.”

With automatic runner Royce Lewis tagging at second, Lara crashed hard into the wall as he made the grab for the inning’s second out, cutting his leg on the fence. Despite the pain, he immediately got up and threw back to the infield to ensure one base was all Lewis was able to grab.

“We still had a great opportunity there to win that ballgame, so that helped take the pain away pretty quickly,” Lara said. “As soon as I made the play, the only thing my mind went to was, ‘However, I’ve got to get it in, I've just got to get this ball in. We could figure out what's wrong with me afterwards.’”

Lara was checked on by Milwaukee’s training staff, but he stayed in the game. His effort resulted in a rousing ovation from the home crowd as he prepared for the next hitter.

“It was a very important moment for me there, and really the first time in my career that I've experienced something like that,” Lara said of the crowd response. “Just to be able to feel that support from the fans is something that's important to me. It's something that means a lot.

“Hopefully, I can continue to do things that continue giving them reasons to cheer and to support.”

After reliever DL Hall whiffed Lee to end the top half of the frame, Lara’s team came through with one more reason for the crowd to cheer.

Jake Bauers stepped to the plate with two men on and knocked a single into shallow left. Automatic runner Brice Turang ran through third and blazed as fast as he could to home plate.

“My first thought was, ‘Oh my god, he's going to be out by a mile,’” Bauers said of the aggressive send.

That thought proved wrong, as Turang was able to get a hand in under the glove of catcher Ryan Jeffers and secure the victory.

Milwaukee was only in position to make the game-winning play thanks to some otherworldly outfield heroics from Lara. It may have been just his 24th game in the Major Leagues, but the 21-year-old didn’t let that stop him from showing his teammates he’s ready for this stage.

“You come to the big leagues at 21 years old, it's tough,” Murphy said. “I liken it to being on roller skates and not being concrete on the ground like the rest of us. ... He's winning the trust of his players.”