The Milwaukee Brewers had good contributors in their win over the Pittsburgh Pirates that also secured the National League Central Division.
The Milwaukee Brewers took another step toward reaching 100 wins on Tuesday by beating the Pittsburgh Pirates, 5-1, at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.
The Brewers have now clinched the National League Central Division for the fourth year in a row. Who stood out in Tuesday’s win?
Misiorowski’s shutout effort
Brewers right-handed ace Jacob Misiorowski took the mound for his 28th start of the season, and he did not let the Pirates do much.
Misiorowski pitched five shutout innings of work, and while he did allow Pittsburgh’s batting order to earn five hits off him while giving up a walk, he also struck out seven batters. The most impressive part of Misiorowski’s evening came in the first inning, when he struck out the side while reaching speeds up to 103.8 mph.
“The Miz” earned the winning decision, marking his 15th of the season, and he also received Player of the Game honors.
As the 2026 MLB season nears its end, Misiorowski remains the best pitcher in baseball on the best team in baseball. Following Tuesday’s game, he leads MLB with 243 strikeouts, has the best ERA (1.89), has the best WHIP (0.81), and he possesses the best opponent batting average (.160).
Misiorowski is cruising toward his first Cy Young Award, and with it only being year two of his career, the sky is the limit.
Ortiz gets hot
While Misiorowski and the bullpen were holding things down defensively, shortstop Joey Ortiz was the catalyst for the Brewers in the batter’s box.
Ortiz had a team-high three hits in four at-bats, and he also registered two RBIs. His first hit came in the top of the second inning, when he hit a single.
In the top of the sixth, Ortiz logged his second hit of the night. This time, it was a two-RBI single to left field that scored Christian Yelich and Luis Lara.
Finally, Ortiz capped his night off with a double in the eighth inning to right field. In many ways, the 28-year-old is having a career year at the plate. His batting average (.270), on-base percentage (.328), slugging percentage (.408) and OPS (.736) are all the highest marks he has reached during his four seasons as a pro.
Final thoughts
The Brewers continue to keep their foot on the gas, and they now have the NL Central once again. Milwaukee knows what is at stake, and the biggest goals are still ahead of this organization.
Yet if the Brewers can finish with the best record in baseball for the second year in a row and be the first team to win 100 games since 2023, that is worth trying for.
