Garrett Mitchell Delivers on Both Sides of the Ball
The Milwaukee Brewers are heading back to the National League Championship Series for the second consecutive season after defeating the San Diego Padres 3-1 in Game 4 of the National League Division Series on Wednesday night. Garrett Mitchell delivered the decisive hit and scored the go-ahead run before making a spectacular defensive play in the eighth inning to help Milwaukee close out the best-of-five series, 3-1.
The 103-win Brewers relied on their familiar formula of timely hitting, strong pitching and outstanding defense to eliminate a dangerous San Diego team that had entered the postseason playing some of its best baseball. Milwaukee snapped a 12-game postseason road losing streak dating back to the 2018 NLCS and secured its fifth trip to the National League Championship Series in franchise history.
The Brewers will now face the Los Angeles Dodgers in a rematch of last year’s NLCS. Los Angeles swept Milwaukee last October on its way to a second consecutive World Series championship, setting up another opportunity for the Brewers to challenge the defending champions.
Milwaukee Strikes First Before Mitchell Scores the Go Ahead Run
Milwaukee opened the scoring in the third inning when Sal Frelick reached on an infield single, stole second base and came home on a single by Mitchell, an Orange County native and former UCLA standout. Brewers starter Robert Gasser, who was originally drafted by San Diego, held the Padres to three hits over four innings before Fernando Tatis Jr. ended a 1-for-19 slump since the start of the postseason with a towering solo home run in the third.
Tatis’ 429-foot blast to center field tied the game at 1-1 and marked the longest postseason home run hit by a San Diego player at Petco Park. Despite the impressive swing, the Padres struggled to generate consistent offense against Milwaukee’s pitching staff.
San Diego starter Walker Buehler allowed just three hits and one run before manager Craig Stammen turned to Game 1 starter Robbie Ray after William Contreras opened the fourth inning with a single. The pitching change could not prevent Milwaukee from taking control in the following inning.
Mitchell led off the fifth with a triple that sailed over first base and rolled into the right-field corner. Jackson Chourio followed with a single through a drawn-in infield, bringing Mitchell home and giving the Brewers a 2-1 advantage they would not relinquish.
Chourio Makes Brewers Postseason History
Chourio continued his outstanding postseason by driving in Mitchell for the decisive run. The 22-year-old outfielder finished the series with another important contribution and established himself as Milwaukee’s all-time postseason RBI leader, surpassing franchise great Ryan Braun.
Chourio now has 17 career postseason RBIs in just 16 playoff games, including six during the series against San Diego. His production has been especially important to Milwaukee’s lineup, with his performance in Game 2 already having established him as one of the series’ biggest difference-makers.
The Brewers added an insurance run in the sixth inning after Jake Bauers singled to lead off the frame and Cooper Pratt followed with a ground-rule double. Frelick then lifted a sacrifice fly to bring Bauers home, extending Milwaukee’s lead to 3-1.
Brewers Defense Closes the Door on Padres Rally
The Padres threatened to make things interesting in the eighth inning when Manny Machado launched a drive toward the right-center-field wall against reliever Abner Uribe. The 406-foot shot appeared capable of tying the game, but Mitchell tracked the ball with precision and reached just above the short wall to make a crucial catch and keep it in the ballpark.
The defensive gem preserved Milwaukee’s two-run advantage and further cemented Mitchell’s importance to the victory. After delivering the go-ahead run with his bat, he made one of the game’s biggest plays with his glove.
Second baseman Brice Turang added another highlight moments later, ending the eighth inning with an acrobatic catch of Ty France’s tailing popup in foul territory. The back-to-back defensive plays extinguished San Diego’s late hopes and demonstrated why Milwaukee’s defense has been such an important part of its success.
Four Brewers Pitchers Limit San Diego to Three Hits
Milwaukee’s pitching staff complemented the defensive effort by combining for a three-hitter. Gasser provided four solid innings, while the bullpen handled the remaining outs and prevented the Padres from building a sustained rally.
San Diego had one final opportunity to make a push in the seventh inning, but Mason Miller allowed three baserunners without surrendering a run. The vaunted closer had missed Game 3 to attend the birth of his first child before returning for the elimination game.
Despite the Padres’ late threats, Milwaukee’s pitching and defense held firm. The Brewers consistently made the key play when needed, while their offense produced enough timely hits to secure the series.
Padres Late Season Surge Ends Short of NLCS
San Diego entered the Division Series with considerable momentum after overcoming a difficult stretch during the regular season. The Padres were below .500 and sitting 11th in the National League standings in late July before surging into the top wild-card position and sweeping the Chicago Cubs in the Wild Card Series.
They had won 19 of their previous 22 games before losing three of four against Milwaukee. Although the Padres repeatedly challenged the National League’s best regular-season team, their offense could not produce enough runs to extend the series.
San Diego was seeking only its fourth appearance in the NLCS in franchise history. Tatis provided one of the team’s few offensive highlights Wednesday, but the Padres were unable to overcome Milwaukee’s pitching depth and defensive execution.
The four games were tightly contested, with the teams separated by a combined five runs. Milwaukee’s ability to capitalize on scoring opportunities and execute in critical moments ultimately proved decisive.
Brewers Turn Their Attention to Dodgers NLCS Rematch
Milwaukee’s series victory sets up another showdown with the Dodgers, who eliminated the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday to advance to the NLCS. Los Angeles swept the Brewers in last year’s matchup before capturing another World Series title, giving Milwaukee an opportunity to seek redemption against the defending champions.
The Brewers will enter the series with confidence after winning three of four against a San Diego team that had been one of baseball’s hottest clubs entering October. Their combination of timely hitting, reliable pitching and game-changing defense has carried them through the Division Series.
With Mitchell delivering the decisive moments, Chourio making postseason history and the pitching staff limiting the Padres to just three hits in the finale, Milwaukee showed why it remains a serious championship contender.
The Brewers are now four wins away from reaching the World Series, but standing in their way is a familiar opponent that ended their postseason run a year ago. This time, Milwaukee will look to turn that experience into a different result and take another step toward its first World Series championship in franchise history.
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