Michael Trzinski

Image courtesy of © Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images The Milwaukee Brewers came into the final regular season weekend needing one win or a Philadelphia Phillies loss to secure home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Cincinnati Reds were looking for one win to stay in the running for the final National League wild card spot. The Brewers failed but the Reds did not, with the visitors edging the Brewers 3-1 Friday night at Uecker Field at American Family Park. The Brewers got on the board first in the third inning when Brice Turang singled to center, scoring Christian Yelich, who had doubled with one out. Those two hits and one run were literally the extent of the Brewers' offense, with Sal Frelick's fourth-inning single the final safety of the game for Milwaukee. Kenosha native Gavin Lux made the Brewers question why they didn't acquire him a couple of years ago when they had a chance, as Lux hit a pair of two-base hits and scored two runs to lead the Reds to victory. Joey Ortiz, Brewers Defense Shine Although the Brewers were defeated 3-1, the score could have been worse if not for Joey O. and his defensive mates. In the top of the first, third baseman Andruw Monasterio fielded a grounder by Noelvi Marte. Brice Turang scooped his quick throw to second on one hop for the out. In the fourth inning, Ortiz fired a ball to second, and Turang's throw to first was short but was snagged by Andrew Vaughn to turn the twin killing. Ortiz made two more sensational plays against Marte and Matt McLain in the late innings to keep the Reds off the scoreboard. Bullpens Almost Flawless For Both Teams While Quinn (The Reverend) Priester struggled (5 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 4 K), his bullpen mates pitched quite well, with Nick Mears and Tobias Myers combining to allow only one walk in four innings while striking out three. For the Reds, after starter Zack Littell gave up three hits, one run, and two walks in 4.2 innings, a foursome of relievers were almost perfect. Connor Phillips, Graham Ashcraft, Tony Santillan, and Emilio Pagan gave up only one walk in 4.1 innings while striking out six batters. Top Performers Christian Yelich, 1-for-4, 2B, R Brice Turang, 1-for-4, RBI Sal Frelick, 1-for-4 Not Great, Bob Everybody else, 0-for-18 On Tap With Philadelphia beating the Minnesota Twins on Friday, the Brewers still need a win or a Philly loss for that home-field advantage. The Brewers close the regular season with two more games against Cincinnati. On Saturday, Robert Gasser will make his second start of the season for the Brewers against Andrew Abbott. The season finale features Freddy Peralta against the Reds' Brady Singer. Bullpen Usage MON TUE WED THU FRI TOT Ashby 16 0 5 0 0 21 Koenig 19 0 16 0 0 35 Fedde 0 0 33 0 0 33 Zastryzny 17 0 0 0 0 17 Myers 0 27 0 0 36 63 Anderson 2 0 0 0 0 2 Payamps 0 0 0 0 0 0 Uribe 10 0 17 0 0 27 Mears 22 0 18 0 9 49 View full article

The REV!!!

As the Milwaukee Brewers came to the conclusion of their 'Saints' road trip (St. Louis, San Diego) with a 1-4 record, they decided to show the Padres that the team with the best record in the major leagues still had a little gas left in their tank. After losing the first two games to San Diego at Petco Park, the Brewers played a solid all-around game on getaway day as they left town with a 3-1 win Wednesday afternoon. The victory increased the Brewers win total to 96, tying the previous franchise high, set in 2011 and 2018. They also lowered their magic number for earning the home field advantage throughout the playoffs to 'one.' Pitching, hitting, and defense all played key roles in the team's win this afternoon. A Six-Pack of Pitchers Stands Out Chad Patrick, fresh off his start on Saturday against St. Louis, was handed the ball for what was expected to be a short outing today for manager Pat Murphy. It was short, but also very effective as Patrick allowed only two hits and two walks in three innings while striking out six batters. He was followed by Eric Fedde, who retired eight straight Padres before giving up a solo opposite field home run to Jackson Merrill in the sixth frame. Aaron Ashby, Nick Mears, and Jared Koenig combined for 2.1 innings and allowed only three hits and a walk before turning the game over to Abner Uribe in the ninth. Uribe picked up his sixth save of the year with a 1-2-3 inning, including two strikeouts to end the contest. Turang and Jansen Lead Hit Parade Brice Turang banged out three singles and knocked in a run while Appleton West alum Danny Jansen ripped a ninth inning jack off the Western Metal Supply building in a left field, a 392-foot shot that hit just below where several Brewers fans were taking a group picture in the third deck. For Turang, it was his 46th multi-hit game of the year. Jano's homer was only his second as a Brewer, but the 13th of the season for the former Blue Jay. Jansen also threw out Luis Arraez trying to steal second base in the third inning. He also had a single and drew a walk in the game. Chewy, Frelick, and Durbin Come to the Rescue With Key Defensive Plays With two on and two outs in the first inning, Xander Bogaerts hit a deep fly ball to left-center field. Jackson Chourio raced back to the wall, leaped and robbed what would have been a three-run shot for the Pads. That play completely changed the complexion of the game. Three innings later, Gavin Sheets led off the inning with a short line drive to right field. Sal Frelick charged and made a diving, rolling catch just before the ball hit the grass. Fedde went on to retire the next two batters. And Caleb Durbin made a Brooks Robinson-type play in the bottom of the eighth. The Brewers held a slim 2-1 lead and the Padres had a runner on first with two outs. Bogaerts hit a two-hopper down the third baseline that Durbin fielded near the line. His momentum carried him further, but he uncorked a strong one-hop throw to first that beat the runner by a step or two. Inning over. Top Performers Brice Turang, 3-for-4, RBI Danny Jansen, 2-for-3, HR, RBI Jake Bauers, 1-for-1, 2B, 2 BB Not Great, Bob Andruw Monasterio, 0-for-3, 3 K's What's On Tap The Brewers have a well-deserved off day on Thursday and will finish the regular season with three games this weekend at Uecker Field against Cincinnati, who is currently languishing in third-place in the NL Central, possibly looking to play the role of spoiler in Milwaukee's bid to gain the home field edge throughout the playoffs. View full article

Image courtesy of © Denis Poroy-Imagn Images Fresh off clinching their third straight National League Central title (and fourth in the last five years), the Milwaukee Brewers entered Monday night’s contest in San Diego with only one goal in mind: winning enough games to claim the top seed in the NL playoff race. But the Brewers would not add to their victory total in the opener of their series out West, as catcher Freddy Fermin laced a liner to left-center to score Bryce Johnson in the bottom of the 11th inning, giving the Padres a 5-4 win—and a spot in the postseason. Fastball Freddy Joins Select Company Freddy Peralta struck out six Padres, giving him 201 strikeouts on the year. It is the third time the Brewers' ace has struck out 200 or more batters in a season, joining Pedro Martínez (nine times), Juan Marichal (six), and Mario Soto (three) as Dominican hurlers who have been so prolific. In addition, he tied Corbin Burnes for second-most such seasons in Brewers history, trailing only Yovani Gallardo. Teddy Higuera (twice), Ben Sheets, Brandon Woodruff, Zack Greinke, and Doug Davis each reached the milestone, too. What Strike Zone? Home plate umpire Roberto Ortiz (no relation to Joey) seemed to have his own unique interpretation of a strike zone. On at least four occasions, Ortiz called pitches that were easily three inches above the zone as strikes, while a like number of offerings that touched the bottom line of the strike zone frame were called balls. Both dugouts were barking at the beleaguered arbiter at various times during the game. Top Performers Christian Yelich, 1-for-3, 2 RBI, 3 BB Andrew Vaughn, 2-for-3, BB Caleb Durbin, 2-for-5, RBI Not Great, Bob Jackson Chourio, 0-for-6, 2 K Grant Anderson, 2 Pitches, 1 H, 1 R, Loss Next Up The Brewers dropped to 95-62, but they still have a 2.5-game lead over Philadelphia for the top seed in the National League. Milwaukee has five games left, while the Phillies have six. In the middle game of the three-game set with San Diego Tuesday night, southpaw Bruce Zimmermann will make his first big-league start since June 15, 2022 for Milwaukee, against San Diego’s Randy Vasquez and several hungover teammates. Bullpen Usage THU FRI SAT SUN MON TOT Ashby 14 0 39 0 16 69 Koenig 14 0 16 0 19 49 Fedde 0 0 0 56 0 56 Zastryzny 0 22 0 5 17 44 Myers 0 28 0 0 0 28 Anderson 0 25 0 14 2 41 Payamps 0 18 0 0 0 18 Patrick 0 0 0 0 0 0 Uribe 24 0 17 0 10 51 Mears 0 0 0 0 22 22 View full article

Mike Matheny probably needed a professional to help him update his curriculum vitae after he retired from baseball in February 2007 due to ongoing symptoms of post-concussion syndrome. He served as a special advisor to the St. Louis Cardinals during Spring Training 2008; coached Little League baseball; and in November 2011 was named manager of the Cardinals without any prior professional managing or coaching experience. All Matheny did was lead the Cardinals to the playoffs in each of his first four seasons, the first big-league manager to do so. The team won three NL Central crowns and lost to the Boston Red Sox in six games in the 2013 World Series. Although his teams had a winning percentage of .555 in his first six-plus seasons, he was fired by the Cardinals in mid-2018. Michael Scott Matheny graduated from Reynoldsburg (OH) HS in 1988 and was drafted in the 31st round of the MLB Amateur draft that year. He chose not to sign and instead attended the University of Michigan, where he was drafted in the eighth round of the 1991 draft by the Milwaukee Brewers. Matheny made stops at three different levels in the Brewers organization before making his big-league debut to start the 1994 campaign. After seeing limited action the first few weeks, Matheny was sent down after hitting .160/.222/.160 in 17 games. He was sent to Triple-A New Orleans but was recalled in July and hit .286/.355/.500 in 28 ABs before getting sent down to get additional playing time. The 6-foot-3 right-handed-hitting Matheny earned more playing time in 1995, getting 47 starts in 80 appearances. His solid defense offset his offense, which was average at best. During his last three years in Milwaukee, he played in more than 106 games each season and had a total batting line of .229/.272/.338 with 44 doubles and 18 home runs. He signed as a free agent with the Toronto Blue Jays for the 1999 season but only played in 57 games and was released after the season. The Cardinals signed him prior to the 2000 season and although Matheny's hitting improved a little, he shone on defense, winning three Gold Gloves in five seasons. In 27 post-season games across three seasons for the Cards, Matheny hit two home runs and drove in 10 while batting .253 (20-for-79). Matheny finished his career with two seasons in San Francisco, the second truncated in July 2006 when he suffered a serious concussion after several foul balls caromed off his catcher's mask. The 2005 season was arguably his best in the bigs as he won a fourth Gold Glove and set career highs with 34 doubles, 13 home runs, 59 RBI, and an OPS+ of 81. He retired in 2007. After managing the Cards, he spent two-plus years as the manager of the Kansas City Royals from 2020-2022. View full player

The number this year is only for Milwaukee. One thing that I didn't factor is that he has only played in 57 games for the Brewers. If I had doubled that bWAR to 2.8, he probably would have been top 5. My Bad...

I don't disagree, and yes, it leaned on bWAR more than anything else really. Here are the numbers I went with: Name 2025 bWAR 2024 bWAR Increase Brice Turang 5.3 4.7 0.6 Caleb Durbin 2.6 0.0 2.6 Isaac Collins 2.2 -0.3 2.5 Sal Frelick 3.2 2.1 1.1 Andrew Vaughn 1.4 0.2 1.2 Freddy Peralta 5.4 2.6 2.8 Quinn Priester 3.0 -0.1 3.1 Abner Uribe 2.3 -0.4 2.7 Aaron Ashby 1.5 0.2 1.3 Maybe I took the lazy route...but I don't disagree with what you said.

Image courtesy of © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images In the early spring of 2025, most prognosticators opined that the Milwaukee Brewers would finish in the middle of the pack in the National League Central, behind the consensus favorite Chicago Cubs. The win total for the Brewers was usually predicted to be in the mid-80s, behind the Cubs and perhaps even behind the Cardinals, Reds, or Pirates. None of that has come true. With eight games left on the 2025 slate, the Brewers have fashioned a major league-best 94-59 mark (as of Friday before game time), three games ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies in the running for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, and six games in front of the Cubbies in the hunt for the NL Central title, which would be their sixth such championship. The Brewers also earned division titles in both 1981 and 1982, when they played in the American League East. Here are some of the key performers who have scratched and clawed every day as manager Pat Murphy's 'Average Joes.' Honorable Mention Sal Frelick, Andrew Vaughn, Aaron Ashby. Using my hockey background, terminology-wise, here are the five 'stars' of the Brewers season (compared to last year). #5 Star-Isaac Collins Coming into the season, Collins was expected to play a bench role as primarily an outfielder, but spring injuries to Blake Perkins and Garrett Mitchell gave Collins an opportunity to be penciled into the everyday lineup in left field, where he has made 85 starts this season. According to FanGraphs' advanced stats, Collins ranks seventh among starting NL left fielders with a +1 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) number. And the diminutive switch-hitter has certainly passed the eye-test, making several outstanding running or diving catches during the season. Collins can also swing the stick as evidenced by his top-5 rankings for Milwaukee with 21 doubles, three triples, 16 stolen bases, and an OPS of.368. Collins has also moved into the Rookie of the Year talk in the National League. #4 Star-Caleb Durbin Durbin came over to Milwaukee with Nestor Cortes from the New York Yankees in the Devin Williams trade last December. In spring training, Durbin was seen either as a platoon partner at third with Oliver Dunn or as a back-up infielder. By mid-April, Dunn was sent down to Nashville and Durbin became the starting third baseman. Although Durbin played twice as many games at second than he did at third in the minors, he was installed at the hot corner on a more-or-less regular basis in Milwaukee, making 110 starts so far at 3B. His FanGraphs' DRS number of +5 is tied for third in the NL with multiple-Gold Glove winner Nolan Arenado. At the plate, Durbin ranks in the top-5 for Milwaukee with 24 two-base hits and 16 stolen bases. #3 Star-Abner Uribe The excitable 6-foot-3 right-hander is in his third year as a Brewer and has already made 70 relief appearances, which tops the Brewers staff. With the injury to closer Trevor Megill nearly a month ago, Uribe has become the highest of high-leverage pitchers for the Brewers, appearing in the ninth or final inning in seven of his eight outings. Uribe's numbers show him in the top-5 on Milwaukee with a bWAR of 2.3, five saves, relief IP (70.1), relief K's (84), ERA+ of 234, and FIP of 2.91. The man with the baby blue '44' glove that dances off the mound after key innings is truly a key player in the Brewers' success this season. Will he go back to his eighth inning role when Megill returns? Only time will tell, but the Brewers will need both of them to continue their high level of play if the Brewers want to move deep into this postseason. #2 Star-Freddy Peralta Normally you wouldn't think that Fastball Freddy would be on this list, but his bWAR of 5.4 this year compared to last season's 2.6 says otherwise. The casual fan would be surprised to know that Peralta is in his eighth season as a Brewers but won't turn 30 until next June. On this year's stat sheet, Peralta is truly head-and-shoulders above not only the Brewers, but in the National League. Even though 'pitcher wins' aren't a 'big thing' in today's analytics, Freddy leads the major leagues with 17 victories. On the Brewers, Peralta leads the starters with an ERA of 2.65, 31 games started, 169.2 innings pitched, 195 strikeouts, and an ERA+ of 158. Freddy will be a key part of the Brewers postseason rotation. #1 Star-Quinn Priester The 'Reverend' came over in the highly-debated trade in early April 2025 with the Boston Red Sox that cost the Brewers top OF prospect Yophery Rodriguez, a Competitive Balance Round A pick, and a PTBNL, who turned out to be pitcher John Holobetz. Much grumbling went on in Brewer Nation because of Rodriguez and the draft pick, but after five quality months in the Brewers rotation by Priester, odds are that the Milwaukee fan base has forgotten all about Rodriguez and the draft selection. Holobetz has done well and has advanced to Double-A for Boston while 'Yoph' is struggling at High-A. In the meantime, Milwaukee has a starter that has helped lead the team to the playoffs. Priester is among team leaders with his bWAR of 3.0, 13 wins, 146.2 innings pitched, and 118 strikeouts. He won 12 straight decisions coming into Thursday's game and the Brewers have won the last 19 games he started, including a 5-2 win over the Angels in the final game of a three-game sweep Thursday. Once again, 'The Rev' pitched well, going 5.2 innings, allowing three hits, two runs, and two walks while striking out double-digit (10) hitters for the third time this year. Next Stop, World Series? All the players listed above have played huge roles in helping Brew City make it to 94 wins this season. Uribe and Peralta had prior success with Milwaukee and were expected to contribute again this year, and they have. But the others? Collins should finish in the top-5 (at worst) in the NL ROY race, while Durbin and Priester have performed as management and the fans had hoped they would. It is up to them, along with the other 20 players on the 28-man roster to keep on 'keepin' on' and send the Brewers to a place they haven't been since 1982--The World Series. View full article

Image courtesy of © Michael McLoone-Imagn Images Freddy Peralta went six innings, allowed only two hits and two walks and struck out a season-high 10 batters in leading the Milwaukee Brewers to a 9-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels Tuesday evening at Uecker Field in Milwaukee. The home side scored single runs in the first three innings and then added a pair in the fourth, to build a 5-0 lead. The Angels tallied on solo shots in the fifth and seventh frames to cut the lead to 5-2, but Milwaukee responded with four runs in their final two innings to put the game out of reach. On the day that honored Pittsburgh Pirates great Roberto Clemente, many of the Brewers players wore the '21' that Clemente had emblazoned on his jersey for 18 years before his tragic death on Dec. 31, 1972. Fastball Freddy Makes a Statement Peralta had several full counts, but managed to strike out a season-high 10 batters while increasing his season strikeout total to 195, nearing the 200 mark for the third time in his career. While 'pitcher wins' aren't as valued as they used to be, Peralta's 17 victories lead the National League and are tied for eighth-most in a campaign in franchise history. Solid Start, Great Finish The Brewers scored a single run in each of the first three innings and two more in the next, to give the home team a 5-0 lead. Christian Yelich had three RBIs, on a two-run homer and an RBI double, while Sal Frelick had a sac fly and Caleb Durbin knocked in a run with a single. Andrew Vaughn had an RBI double in the seventh, and Jackson Chourio knocked in a run in the eighth before William Contreras tallied a pair on a base hit. Sal Frelick, Roberto Clemente Award Nominee As part of the annual program, each MLB club nominates one player to be considered for the league-wide award in tribute to Clemente’s achievements and character. This list of nominees features players whose various community and philanthropic activities have focused on important causes, such as underserved children and communities in the United States and around the world, individuals with cancer and other illnesses, educational programs, environmental advocacy, and more. In tonight's game, Frelick went 1-for-2 with a sac fly, two walks, and an RBI. Top Performers Freddy Peralta, 6 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 10 K Christian Yelich, 3-for-5, 2B, HR, 3 RBI William Contreras, 2-for-4, 2 RBI Andrew Vaughn, 2-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI Caleb Durbin, 2-for-4, SB, RBI Not Great, Bob Joey Ortiz, 0-for-4 What's On Tap? The Brewers are now 92-59, two games ahead of Philadelphia for the best record in the National League. They currently lead the Chicago Cubs by five games in the NL Central. The Brewers take on the Angels in game two of the three-game series Wednesday. Jose Soriano takes on Brandon Woodruff in the middle game of the set. The Crew's magic number for the division title is 7. View full article

One of my favorite players when I was a kid. A great hitter, a wonderful person, and oh, what a cannon!!

Frank Linzy wasn't considered a 'closer' when he began his major league career in 1963, but between 1965-1967, he collected 53 saves, finishing in the top five in the National League each year. Over his 11-year big-league career with four different teams, Linzy notched a total of 110 saves. He wasn't a star, never made an All-Star team, but was dependable enough that he made at least 50 appearances in seven different seasons. Frank Alfred Linzy was a star basketball player who was named to the Oklahoma Class B All-State teams in both his junior and senior seasons at Porter HS. He also was an All-State baseball player his senior season. After graduation in 1959, the right-handed pitcher attended Oklahoma State and Northeastern State College (Tahlequah, OK) and was signed in June 1960 by San Francisco Giants scout J.R. McLean. Linzy spent four years in the minors before getting called up to the Giants in August 1963. The 6-foot-1 Linzy led the Double-A Eastern League in wins (16), ERA (1.55), and complete games (18) while pitching for Springfield (MA) prior to his call-up. Linzy struggled for the Giants, pitching in eight games (one start) with an ERA+ of just 68. He spent the 1964 season at Triple-A Tacoma, winning 11 games with 11 complete games in 28 starts. Linzy spent the next nine seasons in the majors. He pitched for San Francisco from 1965 until the middle of 1970, when he was traded to St. Louis. In his first five years with the Giants, Linzy pitched in at least 50 games each season and had at least 10 saves each year, with a high of 20 in 1965. He finished third in the National League Rookie of the Year voting and even finished 13th in the MVP voting in 1965, ahead of players like Willie Stargell and Frank Robinson. In his first five years with the Giants, he posted an ERA+ of 143. In his two seasons with the Cardinals, Linzy appeared in 97 games with an ERA+ of 134. In two campaigns with Milwaukee, after being acquired in a trade with St. Louis prior to the 1972 season, Linzy saved 25 games for Milwaukee, including a team-high 13 in 1973. Linzy was traded to Philadelphia after the 1973 season and pitched in 22 games for the Phillies in 1974 and was released after that season, He signed with the San Diego Padres prior to 1975 but did not make it back to the big leagues, instead playing for Triple-A Hawaii in his last professional season. View full player

Image courtesy of © Michael McLoone-Imagn Images After getting swept by the Texas Rangers in a three-game series, the Brewers saw all facets of their game click Friday evening in an 8-2 win over NL Central rival St. Louis at Uecker Field. Quinn (The Reverend) Priester went 5-plus innings for Milwaukee in earning his 12th straight victory. At the same time, Christian Yelich responded to chants of 'Yeli, Yeli' by slamming the next pitch for a 432-foot homer off the centerfield scoreboard. Add to that a scoreless bullpen outing by three relief pitchers, and it added up to a big win over the Cardinals, extending the Brewers' lead in the NL Central to 5.5 games over the Chicago Cubs. The Inning That Was In the bottom of the third, Jake Bauers and Caleb Durbin both drew walks off starter Andre Pallante, who had retired six straight Brewers on grounders to start the game. Joey Ortiz dropped a perfect bunt between the mound and the third base line and reached first on a bad throw to first by Pallante. Sal Frelick drew a walk to force in Bauers for the Brewers' first run. Jackson Chourio hit a flyball to medium right field that was caught by Jordan Walker. The outfielder's strong throw bounced off Durbin's helmet as he slid into home, also allowing Ortiz to score on the play to give Milwaukee a 3-0 lead. Brice Turang grounded into a fielder's choice, scoring Frelick to make it 4-0. The four-run inning was the 52nd time Milwaukee has scored four runs or more in an inning, leading the major leagues. The Inning That Wasn't Three innings later, the Brewers had four base runners but failed to score. Leading 5-2 going into the bottom of the sixth, Yelich led off and grounded out. Isaac Collins singled but then made a major blunder, taking off for second against lefthander John King. Two throws later, the scorebook showed a 1-3-6 caught stealing for the second out. Andrew Vaughn pinch-hit and walked, ending King's night. Reliever Jorge Alcala was greeted by a bunt single by Durbin and a 'swinging bunt' by Ortiz to load the bases. Unfortunately for Milwaukee, Frelick lined to second to end the inning. Yeli, Yeli In a scene that was reminiscent of a Hollywood movie, Yelich came to the plate in the bottom of the seventh with a runner on second and the Brewers leading, 5-2. With two strikes on the Brewers' star, the crowd started chanting 'Yeli, Yeli.' Yelich rifled a 432-foot shot off the center field scoreboard to send the crowd into a delirious state and give Milwaukee a 7-2 lead. I'm not sure why the fans didn't demand a curtain call, but they should have. It was a key moment by the Brewers legend. Top Performers Jackson Chourio, 2-for-3, 2 RBI Christian Yelich, 1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI Isaac Collins, 2-for-4 Joey Ortiz, 2-for-4 Quinn Priester, 5.1 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K On Tap The Brewers host St. Louis Saturday and Sunday. The Brewers currently lead the season series five games to 3. View full article

Image courtesy of © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images In a pre-game chat with Brock Beauchamp, I commented that Jacob Misiorowski needs to stop clowning around on the field and get back to pitching; that I hoped Jake Bauers would maintain his hot streak; and that Andrew Vaughn needs to 'step up a bit.' Check, check, and check! After the Brewers scored four runs in the first inning off Pittsburgh über-prospect Bubba Chandler, the Miz walked the first two batters to begin the home first. Any chance the Pirates had was dashed when pitching coach Chris Hook came out to have a chat with his young phenom. One batter later, the Brewers infield turned a twin-killing to get out of the inning unscathed. The Buccos did score a run in the second but after that, Misiorowski dialed his pitching amp up to '11' as he retired 15 out of the 16 batters he faced in the next five frames, including 13 in a row in a seven-inning outing that was his longest in the big-leagues. Bauers had struggled coming into this series, but went 6-for-12 with a double, home run, and six RBI in three games in Pittsburgh. Welcome back, Jake! Vaughn had one of the most scintillating starts ever for a Brewer, batting .343/.403/.648 in his first 29 games, during which Milwaukee went 25-4. Lately though, he had cooled down, slashing just .219/.286/.246 since then. He has showed some signs of breaking out of his funk, with a pair of three-hit games in the last week. But it didn't seem like he was doing that well. Today, that changed. Vaughn went 4-for-5 with a double and an RBI in the win that stretched Milwaukee's NL Central lead to 7.5 games over the Cubs, who lost to the Nationals 6-3 today, courtesy of a five-run ninth off Cubs flamethrowing closer Daniel Palencia. Oh yeah...if you looked at the line score for the first three innings for Milwaukee, it read 4-1-4. And anybody in Milwaukee knows what that means. Is it a sign from above? Only if you are a Brewers fan. Here are the three top key plays and the Sunday storylines. Top of the First, Jake Bauers vs. Bubba Chandler, +13.4% Win Expectancy It seems like Bauers is always involved in one of the key plays for Milwaukee. Chandler, another one of the great young Pirate pitching prospects, was in a jam in the first inning of his first MLB start. Brice Turang and Isaac Collins both took 100-mph fastballs the opposite way for base hits before William Contreras drew a full-count walk to loads the bags. Up stepped Bauers, who smacked a 3-1 pitch down the first base line past a diving Spencer Horwitz. Two runs scored and the Brewers never looked back. Bottom of the First, Nick Gonzales vs. Jacob Misiorowski, +8.6% Win Expectancy As mentioned previously, the Miz ran into trouble from the jump. He walked Jared Triolo and Horwitz on 12 pitches total. Captain Hook came out for a heart-to-heart with Miz, who gulped and nodded his head. 'Yes sir.' Brewer killer Bryan Reynolds forced Horwitz at second but reached on an FC. It didn't work quite as well with Nick Gonzales. The Pirate second baseman hit a two-hopper to Caleb Durbin at third. Five seconds later, the official scorekeeper wrote a 5-4-3 double play in the scorebook and the inning was over. And as far as The Miz was concerned, so was the game. Top of the Third, Blake Perkins vs. Bubba Chandler, 5.5% Win Expectancy The Brewers led 5-1 after two innings and were beating up on Chandler. Bauers walked and Vaughn singled to begin the third before Durbin struck out. Blake Perkins then proved that he is not just a pretty defensive face as he ripped a long liner over left fielder Ji Hwan Bae that bounced off the fence. Bauers scored and Vaughn moved to third. The Brewers would tack on another three runs in the inning and the game was over, the wind completely out of the Pirates sails. Top Performers 1. Jake Bauers, 13.9% WPA: 2-for-4, 3 R, 2 RBI 2. Andrew Vaughn, 7.5% WPA, 4-for-5, 1 R, 1 RBI Sunday Storylines How Rude! Roy Ruben Chandler, better known as Bubba, was making his first start in the bigs against the Brewers. Chandler had made three relief appearances during his rookie season, coming in as the seventh overall prospect as listed by MLB.com. Milwaukee did not care. In 2.2 innings, Chandler made 68 pitches and allowed nine hits, nine runs, and three walks while striking out three. Welcome to ‘The Show,’ Bubba. The Rock Rules Today was the 67th birthday of the former Brewer and current Brewers announcer Bill Schroeder. One of his favorite sayings is ‘It’s gravy day!’ Not exactly sure what that means. Maybe Tim Dillard can tell us. Feeling Left Out Everyone in the Brewers starting lineup had at least one hit--except for third sacker Caleb Durbin, who went 0-for-5, including three strikeouts and grounding into a double play. But he did play solid 'D' at third base. Next Up Three games at Texas against the Rangers. View full article

Image courtesy of © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Ten years ago, I was covering Brewers baseball for another website and part of my workload involved covering the minor leagues, including the Brevard County Manatees, the Brewers entry in the High-A Florida State League. One of the players on that team was a pitcher by the name of Brandon Woodruff. Today, 'Big Woo' pitched deep into the game and led the Brewers to a 4-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday evening at PNC Park. The win was the seventh straight victory over the Pirates this year and the Brewers have won nine of 12 in the season series, with the final contest set for Sunday afternoon. Here are the key plays and other miscellany about the game in Pittsburgh tonight. Top of the Fourth, Jake Bauers vs. Mitch Keller, +24.0% Win Expectancy Bauers, continuing his recent hot streak, had singled in the second inning. After an Oneil Cruz misplay in center field gave the Brewers life in the fourth, allowing William Contreras to reach, Bauers lined a ball over the 21-foot-high right field 'Clemente Wall,' named after Pirate legend Roberto Clemente, for a two-run shot to give the Brewers an early 2-0 lead. The blast traveled 382 feet with an exit velo of 99 mph off an inside fastball. Bottom of the Seventh, Rob Zastryzny vs. Nick Yorke, +7.4% Win Expectancy Bryan Reynolds, a long time nemesis of the Brewers, had doubled to left to lead off the inning for Pittsburgh. Tommy Pham flew out and Nick Gonzales grounded out before Cruz drew a full-count walk to put runners on first and second. Nick Yorke, making only his fourth big league appearance this year, fouled out to third baseman Caleb Durbin for the final out of the seventh inning. Top of the Eighth, Jackson Chourio vs. Evan Sisk, +9.4% Win Expectancy Sisk had come into the game in the top of the seventh with one out and Andrew Vaughn on first and promptly struck out Caleb Durbin and Blake Perkins to end the inning. After getting Joey Ortiz to ground out to short to start the eighth, Sal Frelick shot a base hit up the middle. On a 1-1 pitch, Jackson Chourio lined a ball that just barely cleared the left field wall for a two-run jack that ended a 0-for-17 skid. Top Performers 1. Brandon Woodruff, 36.2% WPA: 6 IP, 0 BB, 8 K 2. Jake Bauers, 25% WPA, 2-for-3, HR Not Great, Bob 1. Caleb Durbin, -10.3% WPA, 0-for-4, 1 K Game Notes Pittsburgh 1B Spencer Horwitz handled five grounders at first, resulting in three 3U plays, and two 3-1 putouts. Woodruff is not the same pitcher he used to be, but has shown he is more of a 'pitcher,' and less of a 'thrower.' In five of his first starts in 2025, he was pretty much lights out, winning four times while posting an ERA of 2.29 across 35.1 innings. He struggled in his next four outings, posting an ERA of 6.38. But after five days rest, Woodruff came across as a top-of-the-rotation stud, allowing two hits in six innings while whiffing eight. Woodruff retired 15 straight batters from the first into the sixth. 'Big Woo' is back. Brice Turang batted third for the first time all year and struggled early, going 0-for-3 with two strikeouts before banging a single in the eighth inning. Pittsburgh southpaw Evan Sisk made an grab of a line drive off the bat of Durbin in the ninth inning. Sisk caught the ball blindly behind his back, much to the amazement of Durbin. Bullpen Usage TUE WED THU FRI SAT TOT Myers 0 0 20 0 13 33 Uribe 0 18 0 8 0 26 Ashby 0 17 14 0 20 51 Koenig 0 13 0 17 0 30 Zastryzny 0 0 18 0 9 27 Fedde 0 0 0 0 10 10 Payamps 0 0 18 0 0 18 View full article

Image courtesy of © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images On a dark, gloomy, overcast night where the sky over the Roberto Clemente Bridge resembled the angry rumbling of clouds in the movie Ghostbusters, the Milwaukee Brewers overcame a slow start. They scored four runs late in the game to overcome the Pittsburgh Pirates and take a 5-2 win in Game One of the three-game series at PNC Park. Here are three key turning points and other miscellany that you might find interesting or amusing. Top of the First, William Contreras vs. Johan Oviedo, +14.4% Win Probability In the top of the first inning, the Brewers had two runners on, courtesy of a lead-off single by Brice Turang and a full-count walk to Isaac Collins. Jackson Chourio struck out on a slider from Pittsburgh starter Johan Oviedo. William Contreras then hit a hard grounder that ate up third baseman Jared Triolo, allowing Contreras to reach first on the E5. Oviedo put on his big-boy pants and got Sal Frelick on a pop foul to first and then struck out Andrew Vaughn to end the threat. Bottom of the Third, Quinn Priester vs. Tommy Pham, -13.4% Win Probability The Buccos started the third inning against Brewers starter Quinn Priester on a Spencer Horwitz grounder to a diving Turang. The Brewers' second baseman rolled over and tried a sitting throw to first, but it sailed wide, allowing a generous infield single. Bryan Reynolds grounded to third, and Caleb Durbin threw to second for a 5-6 force-out. That brought up Tommy Pham. The left fielder is a Brewer killer, posting an .863 OPS against Milwaukee, including 12 career home runs. Pham drove a pitch down the left field line, knocking in Reynolds to give the Pirates a 2-1 lead. ‘The Reverend’ Priester struck out Andrew McCutchen and got Nick Gonzales to line out to Turang. Top of the Sixth, Jake Bauers vs. Carmen Mlodzinski, +28.8% Win Probability The longest inning—eight batters—is the one that put the Pirates away. Chourio grounded out on a bang-bang 3-1 play in which both Horwitz and pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski made nice plays to record the out. Contreras and Frelick singled and each advanced a base on a wild pitch. Vaughn struck out, but then Jake Bauers—on a 1-for-21 skid in his last 12 games—lined a 2-2 pitch to right field to knock in two runs. Durbin got a base hit and Joey Ortiz walked, but Turang grounded out to end the inning, which gave the Brewers a 3-2 lead. Top Performers 1. Jake Bauers, 26.2% WPA: 2-for-5, 2 RBI 2. Quinn Priester, 22.5% WPA: 7 IP, 2 ER, 6 K 3. William Contreras, 20% WPA, 2-for-5 Not Great, Bob 1. Andrew Vaughn, -22.5% WPA: 1-for-5, 2 K 2. Jackson Chourio, -15.7% WPA: 0-for-5, 2 K Bucco Boots In addition to Triolo's error in the first, he committed another after moving to shortstop in the ninth. Nick Gonzales, who had moved from short to second the same inning, airmailed a throw over the first baseman's head that allowed Contreras to score the fifth and final run for Milwaukee. Special ‘Wall of Fame’ honors go to the sideline reporter Tricia Whitaker, who, in a reprise of her earlier interview with Brewers manager Pat Murphy that made the ‘Pocket Pancake’ famous, has now added a ‘Pocket Quesadilla,’ complete with maple syrup from Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Murphy and Whitaker both took a bite, and who knows, maybe another All-Star 'Pocket Meal' is born! Bullpen Usage MON TUE WED THU FRI TOT Myers 0 0 0 20 0 20 Uribe 25 0 18 0 8 51 Ashby 9 0 17 14 0 40 Koenig 16 0 13 0 17 46 Mears 18 0 0 0 0 18 Zastryzny 13 0 0 18 0 31 Yoho 0 0 0 0 0 0 Miller 8 0 0 0 0 8 Payamps 0 0 0 18 0 18 View full article