Ortiz Two-Run Blast Seals Milwaukee's Comeback Over Cincinnati

Joey Ortiz crushed a 412-foot two-run homer to center in the eighth inning, swinging Milwaukee's win probability from 67% to 95% and delivering the decisive blow in a 5-3 Brewers win. Cincinnati had looked in control for most of the night, but Milwaukee's bullpen and a trio of home runs told a different story.

The Reds built what looked like a comfortable cushion early. Dane Myers doubled to left in the first, scoring Steer and putting Cincinnati on the board. The lead grew in the fifth when Elly De La Cruz launched a 412-foot shot to left center, plating Arroyo and pushing it to 3-0. De La Cruz finished 1-for-5 with 2 RBI, and for five innings, Nick Lodolo was doing his part — he allowed just 1 hit over 5.0 innings, though 4 walks kept things uncomfortable. Robert Gasser, meanwhile, was getting hit: 7 hits and 3 earned runs over 5.2 innings for Milwaukee.

Then the sixth inning happened, and the Brewers started chipping. Jake Bauers singled to left to score Vaughn, and moments later a wild pitch by Petty let Yelich score with Frelick walking to put runners in motion — suddenly it was 3-2. The Reds' lead, which had felt safe, looked fragile. Brice Turang made it official in the seventh, going deep 418 feet to center to tie the game at 3. Three runs in two innings, and Milwaukee's offense had found its rhythm against a Cincinnati bullpen that appeared to be running out of answers.

The story of the night, though, was the eighth. With Frelick aboard, Ortiz turned on a pitch and drove it 412 feet to center for a two-run homer — his 1-for-4 night understating the damage entirely. The win probability swung from 67% to 95% on that single swing, and the game was effectively over. Chad Patrick and Trevor Megill combined for 2.1 scoreless innings out of the Milwaukee bullpen, Patrick striking out 2 in 1.1 frames and Megill finishing with a clean 1.0 inning and 2 more strikeouts. The Brewers' late-game pitching looks like the difference-maker here — Cincinnati managed nothing after the fifth, and Milwaukee's back end was simply too clean to overcome.