Jake Bauers’ RBI single in the eighth inning plated the go-ahead run Thursday for the Milwaukee Brewers, who reached the 100-win mark for the first time in franchise history with their 5-1 win over the hosting Philadelphia Phillies.
Bauers, who went 2-for-5 and added a double, singled up the middle, allowing Jackson Chourio to score from second, giving the Brewers (100-59) a 2-1 lead and starting a three-run frame. Chourio, who pinch-hit for designated hitter William Contreras, led off the frame with a walk off Jose Alvarado (5-4) and stole second.
Gary Sanchez singled deep to left field to put runners on the corners, and after Alvarado got Luis Lara to line out to shallow center, Cooper Pratt (2-for-3) welcomed Chase Shugart with another hit up the middle to give the Brewers a two-run lead. Joey Ortiz added a two-out hit, a blooper to shallow center that allowed Sanchez to score from second.
Chourio added a solo home run, his 25th blast of the season, in the ninth.
Five Brewers pitchers held the Phillies (87-72) to just four hits. JoJo Romero (3-3) allowed one hit in 1 1/3 innings against St. Louis, who Milwaukee acquired him from last month. Romero picked up his second win with the Brewers since coming off the injured list (appendectomy) earlier this month.
Antonio Senzatela relieved Romero, allowing a walk over the final 1 2/3 innings to earn his fourth save.
Phillies starter Andrew Painter held the Brewers to just one run over six innings. The rookie allowed five hits and three walks while matching a season-high eight strikeouts. His only blemish came in the second, when Sal Frelick doubled home Sanchez.
Kyle Schwarber (2-for-4) and Bryce Harper (2-for-4) combined to get all four of the Phillies hits. Harper’s third-inning single scored Schwarber, who led off the frame with a double off Brewers starter Shane Drohan. Philadelphia managed just one hit, a Schwarber single in the seventh, against the Brewers bullpen.
Besides losing the game, the Phillies may also have lost infielder Luis Arraez, who reportedly sprained an ankle trying to avoid a tag on a groundout in the sixth inning.
With the win, Milwaukee can officially clinch home-field advantage throughout the postseason should the Los Angeles Dodgers lose Thursday night to the visiting San Diego Padres.
Philadelphia remains in an NL wild-card spot, but the Phillies could not drop their magic number to clinch from two.
–Field Level Media
