PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Milwaukee Brewers reached 100 wins for the first time, and Jackson Chourio hit his 25th homer to lift them to a 5-1 victory over Philadelphia on Thursday night that slowed the Phillies’ playoff push.
The Phillies needed a win to at least have a shot at clinching their fifth straight trip to the playoffs. They instead can try again to clinch for the third straight game on Friday against Tampa Bay.
Philadelphia surely play without
NL batting leader Luis Arraez after he came off with a sprained left ankle after he tried to avoid a tag at first base.
Milwaukee reached one more milestone to go with its National League Central title and a first-round postseason bye. The Brewers are the first team this year to 100 wins and are trying to hold off the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers for the No. 1 seed in the NL playoffs. Their previous high was 97 wins last year.
Brewers fans crowded the seats behind the dugout and held “100” signs as players left the field.
Bryce Harper tied the game 1-1 with an RBI single in the third.
Jake Bauers hit the tiebreaking single off José Alvarado (5-4) in the eighth inning, and Cooper Pratt and Joey Ortiz added run-scoring singles in the inning for a 4-1 lead. Chourio hit a solo shot in the ninth.
JoJo Romero (3-3) got the win and Antonio Senzatela earned his fourth save.
Phillies starter Andrew Painter had another terrific outing in a second half rebound that should see him play a role in the postseason in the rotation or out of the bullpen. He allowed Sam Frelick's RBI double in the second and finished with eight strikeouts and three walks in six innings.
The rookie right-hander was demoted to the minors in June after a 12-4 loss to Miami left him with eight losses in nine decisions and a 7.06 ERA. Since his July 31 recalled has a 3.65 ERA in 11 starts with 62 strikeouts to 23 walks.
Philadelphia got more good pitching news earlier in the day when All-Star lefty Jesús Luzardo said he has recovered enough from left shoulder inflammation that he should be able to pitch next week in the playoffs.
Milwaukee tunes up for the playoffs with a three-game homestand against St. Louis.
Philadelphia sends LHP Cristopher Sánchez (18-6, 2.93 ERA) to the mound Friday when the Phillies open a three-game series against AL East champion Tampa Bay.
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