Clutch Brewers Win
Brewers Defeat Reds 5-3 as Ortiz and Turang Deliver Clutch Home Runs
The Milwaukee Brewers snapped one of their worst offensive slumps of the season, beating the Cincinnati Reds 5-3 on Monday night at American Family Field. The team had gone just 7-for-64 (.109) with runners in scoring position before finally breaking through in the sixth inning, according to MLB.com.
Three clutch performances drove the comeback: a pinch-hit RBI single from Jake Bauers, a game-tying home run from Brice Turang, and a go-ahead two-run blast from Joey Ortiz. The win pushed Milwaukee to 51-31, a season-high 20 games above .500, per USA Today.
Ortiz and Turang Deliver Crushing Back-to-Back Home Runs
Trailing 3-0 heading into the sixth inning, the Brewers started chipping away. Bauers lined an RBI single to right, then Christian Yelich scored on a wild pitch to cut the deficit to 3-2. In the seventh, Turang launched a 418-foot solo shot to center off Reds reliever Chase Petty, tying the game at 3-3, AP News reported.
Then came Ortiz. With Sal Frelick on second after a sacrifice bunt, Ortiz drove a 418-foot two-run homer to center off Tejay Antone in the eighth. It was his first hit with a runner in scoring position since June 1. Manager Pat Murphy said the offense "needed to see those mired in deep funks come up big," per MLB.com.
Brewers' RISP Slump Had Reached Historic Levels
Since June 20, the Brewers' offense with runners in scoring position had been historically bad. Their whiff rate — the rate at which hitters miss pitches — sat at 39.4%. Their expected batting average, a stat that measures how hard balls are hit, was just .131, according to USA Today.
Hitters were also swinging at pitches outside the strike zone at an alarming rate, while pitches in the zone were being missed at 60%. The slump had turned close games into losses, including a recent series defeat to the Chicago Cubs, per jsonline.com.
Reds Built a 3-0 Lead Before the Wheels Fell Off
Cincinnati looked in control early. Dane Myers doubled in Spencer Steer in the first inning to give the Reds a 1-0 lead. Then Elly De La Cruz crushed a 412-foot two-run homer in the fifth — his 13th of the season and seventh career home run against Milwaukee, the most he has hit against any team, per MLB.com.
Myers then suffered a serious injury. He crashed into the outfield wall at full speed while making a backhanded catch and was carted off the field. He was later taken to a hospital for evaluation, USA Today reported. His absence left a hole in the Cincinnati lineup for the rest of the game.
Ashby and Megill Lock Down the Reds' Final Chances
Aaron Ashby threw a scoreless eighth inning to earn the win, improving his record to 11-1 — the best mark in all of Major League Baseball, per CBS Sports. Ashby has been one of the biggest surprises of the 2026 season, emerging as the Brewers' ace after years of injury trouble.
Closer Trevor Megill then retired the Reds in order in the ninth, recording his 11th save of the season. The 28,059 fans at American Family Field saw Milwaukee extend its lead over the second-place Cubs to 5.5 games in the NL Central, according to AP News.
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