The Brewers’ night had already been defined by missed chances, the kind that have piled up around the club for more than a week. Then Joey Ortiz stepped in and changed the whole feel of it.
Ortiz, who has struggled at the plate badly enough over parts of the last three seasons that he lost the starting shortstop job earlier this month, came through with a two-out, two-run homer in the eighth inning Monday to lift Milwaukee past the Reds, 5-3, at American Family Field.
It came after an 0-for-3 start to the game for Ortiz, including two empty trips with runners in scoring position. He entered the at-bat hitting .196, and the Brewers as a team had been stuck in the same rut: 1-for-8 in the game, 6-for-36 on the homestand and 7-for-65 with runners in scoring position over parts of the past eight games since their eight-run second inning in Atlanta on June 21.
Milwaukee had already started to chip away before Ortiz got his chance. Jake Bauers put the Brewers on the board with a run-scoring single in the sixth, and Christian Yelich scored on a wild pitch to trim a 3-0 Reds lead to 3-2 heading into the bottom of the eighth.
From there, Sal Frelick singled with one out, David Hamilton bunted him over, and Ortiz came back to the plate against newly summoned Reds reliever Tejay Antone. This time, he delivered the swing Milwaukee had been waiting for.
In Other News...
Brewers Turn To A Long Awaited Arm As Bullpen Pressure Builds
With the bullpen taking on more and more importance in a season that has already started with a franchise-best 51-31 record through 82 games, the Brewers turned to a familiar name in the system and gave Garrett Stallings a long-awaited opportunity. Milwaukee brought up Stallings from Triple-A Nashville and sent Robert Gasser to the Arizona Complex League to clear a spot, adding another arm at a time when every inning in the middle and late frames matters more than ever.
Stallings arrived in the organization through a 2024 trade with the Baltimore Orioles, and his media session reflected just how long he has worked for this moment. He spoke about the path through the minors and the weight of finally getting the call, with more than enough mileage logged along the way to make this promotion feel earned even before he throws a pitch for Milwaukee. [Read more 🡒]
Pat Murphy's Cooper Pratt Decision Will Have Brewers Fans Talking
Cooper Pratts early run in the majors has been a reminder that even the Brewers best prospects can need time to settle in. The infield prospect was promoted earlier this year, but the offense has lagged behind the expectations that come with that kind of move, leaving Milwaukee to balance patience with the day-to-day demands of a contending lineup.
Pat Murphys decision to sit Pratt for Game 2 against the Reds only added to the conversation, especially with the club still trying to chart his long-term path. The numbers have been uneven since the call-up, but the Brewers have seen this before with young players who needed a slower climb, and the comparison to Brice Turangs early growing pains is one reason Pratts development remains such a watchable subplot. [Read more 🡒]
Brewers Could Finally Face A First Round Draft Dilemma
The Brewers are headed toward one of the more interesting decisions of their draft season, with their first-round selection sitting at No. 25 in 2026. That is late enough to put them in a different kind of board than usual, and it comes after a stretch in which they have leaned toward position players with their first-round choices since 2020. This time, though, the pool could force a rethink.
Several college arms are expected to be within reach, and that is where the debate starts to get real. Tennessee right-hander Tegan Kuhns, Arizona State left-hander Cole Carlon and Mississippi right-hander Cade Townsend all fit the kind of upside that can pull a club off its usual path, which leaves Milwaukee weighing whether to stay with its recent draft tendencies or finally take a pitcher in the first round again. [Read more 🡒]