Clinching the National League Central title Tuesday night hasn’t changed the Milwaukee Brewers’ determination to close the season out strong.
Look no further than the Brewers’ 5-4 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday, which sets them up for an opportunity for a sweep Thursday afternoon.
Milwaukee (95-57) enters play Thursday with a 2 1/2-game lead over the Tampa Bay Rays (92-59) for the majors’ best record and the No. 1 seed in the postseason. The top two seeds receive first-round byes and advance directly to the Division Series. The team with the best regular-season record will hold home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
Christian Yelich hit a go-ahead two-run single in the seventh as Milwaukee fought back to retake the lead after Pittsburgh had rattled off three straight runs to jump on top.
Even after partaking in late-night celebrations after winning the division crown, Yelich knew the team’s collective focus was on the next game.
“We didn’t accomplish what we want to accomplish so far this season,” he said. “(Clinching the division) was one of our goals, but we’ve still got something to play for down the stretch.”
“After the celebration last night, a lot of guys didn’t get as much sleep as their moms and dads would want them to get,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy joked, “But I think they handled it responsibly and came out and played hard today.”
Milwaukee’s Kyle Harrison (10-4, 3.98 ERA) will start, replacing originally scheduled starter Dustin May as the Brewers reshuffle their rotation near the end of the regular season.
Harrison has struggled lately in his first season with the Brewers, giving up 19 runs (17 earned) across his last three outings. He came out of the bullpen for the first time in 2026 on Saturday, allowing four runs without recording an out versus Cincinnati.
Harrison has excelled against Pittsburgh in his career, going 2-0 in three starts without allowing a run in 17 innings.
With three more home runs Wednesday, the Pirates (75-77) set a single-season franchise home run record.
Oneil Cruz’s solo homer in the fourth was the team’s 172nd of the year, surpassing the 171 Pittsburgh hit in 1999. They finished with 174 after Brandon Lowe and Rafael Flores Jr. went deep.
Pittsburgh manager Don Kelly credits his players’ mindset at the plate for the record-breaking offensive season.
“I don’t think it’s necessarily guys going up there trying to hit home runs,” he said.
Flores’ words matched those of his skipper.
“After I swung through that first sinker, my approach was just to hit it to right field,” he said of the process behind his go-ahead home run in the sixth off JoJo Romero.
“I was late the first time and I just tried to be a little earlier and swing a little less harder and I was able to barrel it.”
Wilber Dotel (1-5, 4.84 ERA) will be the opener in a bullpen game for the Pirates.
The last time Dotel started was Friday, giving up three runs in two innings as Pittsburgh fell 12-2 to the Cubs. His most recent appearance came in the series opener against Milwaukee on Tuesday night. He threw two-thirds of a scoreless inning, allowing one hit and striking out one.
Dotel is 0-0 with a 3.38 ERA versus the Brewers in two career appearances.
Thursday’s winner will take the season series, with the teams knotted at six wins apiece.
–Field Level Media
