Having the best record in baseball during the dog days of August creates increased expectations.
The Milwaukee Brewers, however, are having too much fun to feel any pressure.
The Brewers will look to extend their winning streak to 10 games on Monday night when they host the Pittsburgh Pirates in the opener of a three-game series.
Jose Quintana (9-4, 3.57 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Brewers against fellow left-hander Andrew Heaney (5-9, 4.77).
The Brewers extended their winning streak in dramatic fashion on Sunday when Isaac Collins hit a walk-off homer to lead off the ninth inning. That capped a comeback from a five-run deficit and lifted Milwaukee to a 7-6 victory over the New York Mets for a sweep of the three-game set.
The win was the 12th in the last 13 games for the Brewers, who improved to 73-44 and moved six games ahead of the second-place Chicago Cubs in the National League Central. Milwaukee is on pace to win 101 games, five more than the franchise record.
The sweep of the Mets unfolded in increasingly unlikely fashion for the Brewers.
Blake Perkins preserved a 3-2 win Friday night after throwing out Starling Marte at home plate on Jeff McNeil’s single to center field.
Milwaukee overcame a trio of one-run deficits before erupting in the seventh inning on Saturday. William Contreras capped a four-run frame by hitting a two-run homer after his flyout was negated by a pitch-count violation on Ryan Helsley.
The Brewers trailed 5-0 Sunday before Contreras homered in the fourth and fifth innings.
“You could tell the pressure was on for (the Mets),” Collins said. “And that’s kind of how it’s been this whole year. We never really feel like the pressure’s on us. The pressure’s always on the opponent. It’s like blood in the water; we sense it.”
Pittsburgh, meanwhile, missed a chance to win a four-game series when the visiting Cincinnati Reds pulled away late in a 14-8 decision on Sunday.
The Pirates flirted with a big comeback, when they trailed 4-0 before tying the game with four unanswered runs spanning the fourth and fifth innings. Pittsburgh then pulled to 9-8 with a three-run rally in the eighth before Jared Triolo struck out to end the inning.
Cincinnati scored five runs in the ninth to seal the win.
Pittsburgh has gone 4-6 to open August after winning eight of its final nine games in July.
“Found ways to get some hits,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said. “Just couldn’t get enough there to get on top and take the lead.”
Quintana earned the win in his most recent start on Wednesday after giving up three runs over six innings as the Brewers edged the Atlanta Braves 5-4.
Heaney didn’t factor into the decision Wednesday after allowing one run over 4 2/3 innings in the Pirates’ 4-2 loss to the San Francisco Giants.
Quintana is 5-2 with a 3.23 ERA in 15 career starts versus the Pirates, with whom he played during the 2022 season.
Heaney is 1-3 with a 6.56 ERA in five starts against the Brewers.
–Field Level Media
