Ortiz's Clutch Homer
Joey Ortiz's Eighth-Inning 2-Run Homer Propels Brewers Past Reds 5-3, Ending RISP Struggles
Joey Ortiz crushed a two-run homer in the eighth inning Monday night to give the Milwaukee Brewers a 5-3 comeback win over the Cincinnati Reds at American Family Field. MLB.com reported that Ortiz, who entered the game batting just .196 and had twice failed with runners in scoring position earlier that night, sent a 1-1 pitch from Tejay Antone 412 feet to center field to break a 3-3 tie.
The victory pushed Milwaukee to 50-31 on the season and extended their NL Central lead to 5.5 games over the Chicago Cubs, according to StatMuse.
Ortiz Ends Brewers' Historic RISP Drought
The Brewers came into Monday's game in a deep slump with runners in scoring position, or RISP — meaning runners on base who can score on a hit. MLB.com noted the team had gone just 7-for-65 (.107) with RISP over their previous eight games. Before Ortiz's homer, Milwaukee was 1-for-8 with RISP in the game itself, with Ortiz going 0-for-2 in those spots.
The winning rally started simply. Sal Frelick singled with one out. David Hamilton laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Frelick to second. Then Reds manager David Bell brought in Antone to face Ortiz — and Ortiz did not miss. The Associated Press described the blow as a two-run shot with two outs that gave Milwaukee the lead for good.
Reds Build Lead Before Brewers Rally Back
Cincinnati struck first. Dane Myers hit an RBI double to give the Reds a 1-0 lead. Then Elly De La Cruz, just back from a hamstring injury since June 23, launched a 412-foot, two-run homer to left-center in the fifth. That made it 3-0 Reds. But Myers was later carted off the field after crashing into the outfield wall making a catch, according to The Associated Press. No immediate update on his condition was given.
The Brewers chipped away against Reds reliever Chase Petty. Andrew Vaughn doubled. Jake Bauers delivered a pinch-hit RBI single. Christian Yelich scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-2. Then Brice Turang hit his 12th homer of the season in the seventh to tie the game at 3-3, setting the stage for Ortiz's heroics.
Aaron Ashby Makes MLB History as Relief Win Leader
Ashby picked up the win to improve to 11-1 on the season — without making a single start. MLB.com analyst Sarah Langs noted he is one of the few pitchers in MLB history to reach double-digit wins entirely from the bullpen in the first half of a season, joining 1959's Roy Face and 1938's Mace Brown in that rare company.
Brewers manager Pat Murphy has had fun with Ashby's unusual win total. He joked earlier this season, "He's got nine good ones, but that was a vulture" — a term for a reliever who inherits a lead and gets the win. Trevor Megill closed it out in the ninth for his 11th save, converting 11 of 13 opportunities this season, according to StatMuse.
What the Win Means for Milwaukee's Bigger Picture
The Brewers sit comfortably atop the NL Central at 50-31 despite ranking 28th in MLB in home runs and leading the majors with roughly 800 strikeouts this season, per StatMuse. Monday's win was framed by local media as a potential turning point for a team that has won close games with pitching and defense rather than power.
Still, questions linger. Ortiz's .196 average keeps trade deadline speculation alive. The Athletic has reported the Brewers may target an impact bat — possibly Arizona's Eugenio Suárez or Florida's Xavier Edwards — before the July 30 deadline. For now, though, one big swing was enough.
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