The Brewers brought a little more history home from Philadelphia on Thursday night, finishing a 5-1 win over the Phillies to reach 100 victories for the first time in franchise history. Milwaukee is 100-59 with three regular-season games left, all against the Cardinals at American Family Field beginning Friday.
A road trip that kept raising the bar
Milwaukee’s final trip away from home has turned into a rolling celebration, even if Pat Murphy’s club is not treating it that way. The Brewers clinched the NL Central in Pittsburgh, swept Baltimore to establish a new franchise record for wins, then locked up a first-round bye in Philadelphia before adding another landmark number in the road finale.
- The Brewers became the first club in franchise history to win 100 games.
- They are the first MLB teams to reach 100 wins since the Braves, Orioles and Dodgers did it in 2023.
- Milwaukee is the first NL Central team at the century mark since the 2016 Cubs, who finished 103-58-1 and went on to win the World Series.
- The Brewers had been among seven franchises without a 100-win season, along with the Blue Jays, Marlins, Nationals, Padres, Rangers and Rockies.
- They also became the first team in Major League history to win at least 100 games without putting together a streak longer than five games. Milwaukee had three five-game streaks, but never won six straight.
That last detail fits the character of this club. The Brewers have not required one runaway surge to get here. They have kept winning series, found different ways to scratch out runs and kept the pressure on opponents over six months.
An eighth-inning push in Philadelphia
Thursday’s win looked familiar in that respect. The game was tied 1-1 after seven innings before Milwaukee manufactured the go-ahead run in the eighth.
Jackson Chourio entered as a pinch-hitter for designated hitter William Contreras, though the reason for the move was not immediately known. Chourio drew a walk, stole second and came home when Jake Bauers delivered a base hit.
Bauers entered the at-bat 1-for-11 in the series with eight strikeouts. He has dealt with several lower-body issues during the second half, making his remaining regular-season opportunities especially important as Milwaukee tries to get him back in rhythm.
- Gary Sánchez followed with a single.
- After Philadelphia removed José Alvarado and brought in Chase Shugart, Cooper Pratt singled to drive in another run.
- With two outs later in the inning, Joey Ortiz added a run-scoring single.
- Chourio led off the ninth inning with a home run, putting the Brewers on course for the 5-1 final.
It was another reminder of how Milwaukee has built its record. The Brewers rank last in the National League in home runs, yet sit second in runs scored by turning contact, speed and timely execution into offense.
No long toast, but a larger goal remains
Murphy did not sound eager to turn the 100th win into a clubhouse ceremony. Asked before the game whether the team might gather for a speech or toast, the manager’s instinct was simple: “My gut says no. You know, it’s just a number.”
Still, he acknowledged that baseball gives the round number its own weight, comparing it to the difference between a .299 hitter and a .300 hitter. Both are productive, but one carries a little extra shine.
For the Brewers, 100 also matters in the race for the best record in baseball. They remained ahead of the Dodgers and Rays, with home-field advantage throughout the postseason available to the team that finishes on top.
Milwaukee has already secured the break from the opening playoff round, and the club is planning for the five days between the end of the regular season and Game 1 of the National League Division Series on Saturday, Oct. 3. Staying sharp will be a central concern for a team whose offense depends heavily on timing, movement and pressure rather than home-run volume.
The Cardinals series is the last tune-up
The Brewers now return to Milwaukee as the winningest team in the city’s Major League history. The Cardinals provide the final three games before the calendar turns fully toward October.
The milestone is real, but the Brewers know it guarantees nothing once the postseason begins. Eight of the previous 10 teams this decade to win 100 games were eliminated in their first playoff series. Murphy and his club will try to make their regular-season standard mean more than a banner number when the Division Series opens.
