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Coors Field where it all began for Christian Yelich

MVP candidate Christian Yelich returns to Coors Field, where he made his MLB debut, looking to lead the Milwaukee Brewers to a NLDS victory over the Colorado Rockies.
Credit: Dustin Bradford/Getty Images
Christian Yelich #21 of the Miami Marlins slides safely into third base in the first inning of a game against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on July 24, 2013 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)

Coors Field will always be a place of reflection for Christian Yelich, even as his career continues to elevate.

It's where the Milwaukee star slugger made his MLB debut more than five years ago as a member of the Miami Marlins.

Fast forward to today -- Now it's where the NL MVP candidate aims to send the Brewers into the NLCS with a win either Sunday or Monday against the Colorado Rockies.

"It's always cool coming back," Yelich said Saturday in the visiting clubhouse at Coors Field. "You get all those memories."

Yelich's major-league career kicked off July 23, 2013, when the then-21-year-old got called up for the three-game series against the Rockies.

He went 2-for-4 with two RBIs in his first MLB game, a 4-2 victory for Miami. His first major-league hit came in his first at-bat, and ironically enough was off his current teammate Jhoulys Chacin.

Chacin, now one of the Brewers' key starters, picked up his most recent win on Friday in game two of the NLDS at Miller Park.

When asked about the biggest memory that sticks out to him, Yelich recalled:

"Your first hit, first time playing in the big leagues. It actually happened off Chacin, too," he joked loudly, trying to make sure Chacin overheard.

"There's a lot of familiar faces around here. It's cool. It's a good place to be back. You go from your MLB debut to now playing a playoff game here."

Yelich went on to finish his rookie season with 69 hits, 34 runs and four home runs. Compare that to the 187 hits, 118 runs and 36 home runs he accumulated over the 2018 season.

He's played a key role in the Brewers' postseason success, and was the star of their game one win over Colorado on Thursday with a two-run home run and the winning run in extra innings.

Facing elimination in the best-of-five NLDS, Rockies starting pitcher German Marquez will have to do his best to limit Yelich in game three on Sunday if Colorado hopes to remain alive.

"I've got to give him credit. He's a great hitter, everyone knows that," Marquez said Saturday. "But if I've got control, the ball in my hand, and if I execute my pitches, I like my chances of getting him out."

Game three will begin at 2:37 p.m. Sunday and will be broadcast on MLB Network (DirecTV channel 213, XFINITY/Comcast channel 281).

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