Covering the bases 9/4/2025: Phillies 2, Brewers 0
In what could be a potential NL Championship Series preview, the Milwaukee Brewers dropped two of three to the Philadelphia Phillies after a 2-0 loss Thursday at American Family Field. Owners of MLB's best record at 86-55, the Brewers saw their NL Central lead drop to 5½ games over the second-place Chicago Cubs, who were idle Thursday. The Brewers hold a 4½-game lead over the Phillies for the best record in the NL after clinching the season series with their lone win in this series Wednesday.
FIRST BASE: Playoff atmosphere? Yes and no
While this series was a matchup between the teams with the best two records in the NL, there didn't seem to be quite the intensity that you might expect from two playoff-bound teams less than a month from postseason action. The Brewers trotted out a lineup of all right-handed batters against Phillies left-handed starter Ranger Suarez, which meant sitting a few key left-handed hitters. A playoff game would have seen at least two lefty hitters in the Brewers' lineup. But for a regular-season game that didn't have a whole lot of meaning to the Crew, it was a good way to get some other guys into the lineup against a tough lefty.
SECOND BASE: Suarez silences Crew
Suarez didn't allow a run for the second time in three outings. Suarez went six shutout innings, giving up six hits and two walks, while striking out four to lower his season ERA to 2.89. All six hits came from the Brewers No. 2 through No. 5 hitters: Isaac Collins (1-for-3), William Contreras (1-for-2), Andrew Vaughn (2-for-3) and Caleb Durbin (2-for-3).
THIRD BASE: Fantastic Freddy
In his first start after being named the NL Pitcher of the Month for August, right-hander Freddy Peralta needed 92 pitches to get through five shutout innings, allowing two hits and three walks, striking out eight. Peralta extended his streak of scoreless innings to 29.
HOME PLATE: Turner the difference
It just takes one to win a game – and Trea Turner is experienced enough to know what to do in key situations. The Phillies' leadoff hitter went down to get an 0-2 splitter and whacked it to center field with two outs in the top of the seventh inning to put the Phillies up 1-0, driving in Alec Bohm, who had one-out triple down the right-field line. That stood until the Phillies tacked on an insurance run in the top of the ninth on Bryson Stott's RBI double.
EXTRA BASES: Priester vs. Pirates
⚾ The Brewers hit the road for their next six games, beginning with three against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Right-hander Quinn Priester (11-2, 3.28 ERA) goes in the opener for the Brewers, while left-hander Johan Oviedo (2-0, 3.60 ERA) pitches for the Pirates. Priester kept alive a couple of impressive streaks by allowing one unearned run over six innings in a 4-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday. Although he didn't pick up the win, Priester has won his last 10 decisions, covering 16 games (13 starts). The Brewers have won every game Priester has pitched in during that run. Oviedo has made just four starts this season following his recovery from two injuries, first Tommy John surgery and the second a lat injury in spring training this year the slowed down his comeback from the elbow procedure. In his last game, he allowed two runs on three hits and struck out six over five innings in a 10-3 win over the Boston Red Sox.
⚾ Outfielder-DH Christian Yelich was held out of the lineup for a second straight day due to soreness in his lower back. Yelich is expected to be available for Friday's game against the Pirates.
