MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee Brewers are heading to the playoffs, and baseball’s best team left no doubt.
Garrett Mitchell hit the Brewers’ first grand slam of the season, one of four homers for Milwaukee in a 20-0 rout of the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night that secured a playoff berth that had long been inevitable.
Manager Pat Murphy celebrated with a toast to his players and clubhouse staff. Afterward, the locker room was subdued, because these Brewers (92-56) hope to accomplish much more.
This will be Milwaukee's fourth straight trip to the playoffs and eighth in nine seasons.
“It’s not something to take lightly because it’s really hard to do,” Murphy said. “We want to see how far we can go and how complete this can be. Remember that the message to the team is that we checked off one box, but we’ve got a lot more to go.”
Perhaps the biggest hurdle will be knocking off the two-time World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, should the teams meet again. The Dodgers swept the Brewers in the NL championship series last year.
Entering Friday, the Brewers were last in the majors in home runs, but they rank near the top in batting and on-base percentage, and they hope an elite starting rotation led by Jacob Misiorowski can carry them deep into October.
Next up for the Brewers will be wrapping up the NL Central title. They lead the Chicago Cubs by 10 games, and their magic number is four.
Still, Friday's achievement was worth a moment of reflection.
“You have to celebrate the moment, no matter how big or small,” Mitchell said. “With how long a season is, you have to be able to celebrate the moments when you have them. You never know when you’re going to get them, and you never know when the last one’s going to be. So, a small toast.”
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Milwaukee Brewers' Brice Turang hits an RBI double during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
Milwaukee Brewers' William Contreras gestures after hitting a two-run single during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
A message is displayed to signify the Milwaukee Brewers clinching a postseason berth after a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
NEW YORK (AP) — Big Foe made another big run at the U.S. Open but again could not break through to his first Grand Slam final.
Frances Tiafoe got knocked out in the semifinals on Friday night by fellow American Ben Shelton. This was his third trip to the semifinals at Flushing Meadows in five years after also getting this far in 2022 and ’24.
“It’s hard,” Tiafoe said after losing 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5. “As you look at it, obviously I’ve been in this position a lot now — thankfully, but also it’s tough. I wanted to be in a Grand Slam final. Obviously it was a big match.”
Tiafoe won the first set Friday night to the delight of a packed house at Arthur Ashe Stadium but could not overcome 20 aces from his hard-serving opponent.
“On Foe, he’s like a big brother to me,” Shelton said. “To be honest, every time that we get to take this court together, Arthur Ashe, and play each other is super special. This is where we want to be: at the tail end of this tournament.”
The 28-year-old Tiafoe, a Washington, D.C.-area native and a fan favorite for his personality and exciting style of play, got a standing ovation from the crowd leaving the court after the four-set defeat.
“I just want to win it,” Tiafoe said. “The love is incredible, man. It’s something that gives me definitely tears in my eyes from a kid starting how I did, and the love I have here is crazy. Every match I play, from everyone, all the staff, the security guards — everyone really wants to see me do the thing.”
Tiafoe improved drastically from his performance at the U.S. Open a year ago, when he lost to Jan-Lennard Struff in the round of 32. He was feeling “really, really bad” about himself at that time.
This time, he beat Daniil Medvedev and came back from down two sets against Alex Michelsen in the quarterfinals. But falling short left him with a familiar, empty feeling.
“These last couple weeks have been great weeks, but I haven’t been able to finish,” Tiafoe said. “And that’s probably going to be the next thing for me.”
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Frances Tiafoe, of the United States, returns the ball to Ben Shelton, of the United States, during the men's singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Ben Shelton, of the United States, left, embraces Frances Tiafoe, of the United States, after Shelton won their match during the men's singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Spectators watch as Frances Tiafoe, of the United States, serves the ball to Ben Shelton, also of the United States, during the men's singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Frances Tiafoe, of the United States, reacts to winning a game during the men's singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships against Ben Shelton, of the United States, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Frances Tiafoe, of the United States, gestures after he lost his match to Ben Shelton, of the United States, during the men's singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
