The Milwaukee Brewers earned a crucial victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday night at American Family Field by a final score of 6-2. The victory not only marked their first win against the Phillies in four tries this season, but also moved them closer to clinching the Central Division title.
The win cut the Brewers' magic number to two, meaning they could clinch the division title as soon as Tuesday night with another win and a Cubs loss. With the win, the Brewers' record improved to 87-63, while the Phillies, a 90-win team, suffered a setback.
Aaron Civale Shines on the Mound
Starter Aaron Civale was instrumental in the Brewers' victory, delivering a solid performance over five innings. Civale struck out six batters, starting strong by fanning six Phillies in the first three innings. He worked efficiently with his defense, which made several key plays to back him up.
Civale allowed his first run in the fifth inning on a solo home run by Brandon Marsh. After allowing back-to-back hits to Kyle Schwarber and Trea Turner in the sixth inning, Civale left the game after throwing 90 pitches, finishing with a career-high five innings pitched, six strikeouts and one earned run.
In relief, Hoby Milner took the mound in the sixth inning and deftly navigated the Phillies lineup. Milner got Bryce Harper to hit a grounder, struck out Nick Castellanos and forced Alec Bohm on a grounder to end the inning.
Colin Rea entered in the seventh inning when Milner ran into trouble. Rea pitched 2⅔ innings without allowing a run, effectively shutting down the Phillies offense and earning his first career save. Rea became the 12th Milwaukee pitcher to record a save this season, highlighting the Brewers' bullpen depth.
Defensive highlights were a key component of the Brewers' victory. In the third inning, right fielder Sal Frelick made an impressive throw to third base, striking out Cal Stevenson on a hit by Trea Turner.
Civale also contributed defensively by catching Turner caught caught at second base when he led off from first with Civale still on the mound. In the fourth inning, the Brewers executed a 5-4-3 double play to erase an early Harper hit.
Hoby Milner further demonstrated the team's defensive prowess by fielding a sharp grounder from Alec Bohm, ending a scoring threat.
Key Contributions from William Contreras and Joey Ortiz Drive Offense
Offensively, the Brewers were led by several key players. William Contreras delivered a crucial blow in the third inning with a 115.6 mph line drive to the gap in left-center field, scoring Jackson Chourio and Blake Perkins.
Joey Ortiz contributed two RBIs; he connected for a triple in the sixth inning, scoring Sal Frelick, who had worked around a double play, and also hit a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning to score Rhys Hoskins.
Blake Perkins added an insurance run in the seventh inning after connecting on a hit, stealing second and third base, and scoring on a sacrifice fly by Gary Sanchez.
Setting the tone for a big week#ThisIsMyCrew X @UWCreditUnion https://t.co/ShzRBNfsJj pic.twitter.com/r6e85g8tD1
- Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) September 17, 2024
Meeting Highlights
The game featured several decisive moments that tipped the scales in favor of the Brewers. In the third inning, Chourio received a leadoff walk, and Perkins connected on a hit to set the stage for Contreras' two-run line drive.
The fourth inning saw the Brewers extend their lead to 3-1 when Rhys Hoskins received a ticket, Frelick connected on a double, and Ortiz hit a sacrifice fly. In the sixth inning, Frelick's effort allowed Ortiz to follow with a run-scoring triple, and Brice Turang extended the lead with a hit, bringing the score to 5-1.
Although the Phillies threatened in the seventh inning with runners on first and second base, Rea limited the damage to just one run, maintaining the 5-2 lead for the Brewers. Perkins then added a final run in the bottom of the seventh inning after stealing two bases and scoring on a sacrifice fly by Sanchez, sealing the 6-2 victory.
For the Phillies, Brandon Marsh was outstanding as he connected on a solo home run in the fifth inning to put his team on the scoreboard. Kyle Schwarber chipped in with a go-ahead hit in the seventh inning, cutting the Brewers' lead to 5-2.
Trea Turner had two hits, but was caught stealing on a crucial defensive play by Civale in the third inning, halting a potential Phillies comeback.
Impact of the Victory on the Central Division Race
This win had significant implications in the Central Division race. With their magic number now at two, the Brewers are on the verge of clinching the division title. However, the Chicago Cubs' 9-2 victory over the Oakland Athletics delayed the Brewers' potential clinch by at least a day.
The Brewers offense in this game matched their run total from the entire three-game sweep they suffered at the hands of the Phillies in June, indicating a change in their approach against the Philadelphia pitching staff.
