Raphinha is leading high-scoring Barcelona, says players are hungry for goals

MADRID (AP) — After Barcelona's biggest win of the season, Raphinha said he and his teammates are hungry for goals and will keep pushing for more.

Barcelona routed Racing Santander 7-2 in the Spanish league on Wednesday for its seventh win in seven matches in all soccer competitions — its best start to a season, the club said. It was Barcelona's fifth win by five goals or more, and only once it hasn't scored at least four times.

“The players have the hunger to always want more,” Raphinha said. "It’s a mentality to always try to score more goals and to create more scoring opportunities.”

Barcelona has outscored opponents 33-7 so far, with Raphinha having scored a third of those goals. The Brazil forward had a hat trick on Wednesday. Of his 11 goals, nine came in the Spanish league, where he is the scoring leader.

“It’s always important to keep in mind that you need to improve in some areas. I’ll never say I’m at my peak, because I always try to improve as much as I can," Raphinha said. “There’s surely something more I can contribute to the team than what I’m currently giving.”

Lamine Yamal, Gabriel Jesus and João Cancelo also scored for Barcelona on Wednesday. There was also an own-goal in favor of the Catalan club.

Barcelona's next game is at Sevilla on Saturday. Coach Hansi Flick said the game won't be “anything but easy ... We have to be ready.”

“It’s always good to start well, but what matters is how you finish," Flick added. "It gives us confidence, and I like the momentum and the intensity. Everyone presses, everyone is involved. How we work as a team is crucial.”

See AP’s full soccer coverage here

Barcelona's Raphinha celebrates with Gavi, right, after scoring his side's fifth goal from the penalty spot during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Racing de Santander in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Barcelona's Raphinha celebrates after scoring his side's fifth goal from the penalty spot during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Racing de Santander in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Barcelona's Raphinha celebrates with Lamine Yamal, left, after scoring his side's fifth goal from the penalty spot during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Racing de Santander in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Barcelona's Raphinha celebrates with Gavi, right, after scoring his side's fifth goal from the penalty spot during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Racing de Santander in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Barcelona's Raphinha celebrates after scoring his side's second goal from the penalty spot during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Racing de Santander in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Christian Yelich’s two-run double in the seventh inning sent the NL Central champion Milwaukee Brewers to a 5-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night.

Yelich grounded his double down the left-field line off Carmen Mlodzinski (7-7) to erase a 4-3 deficit. His big hit came one night after the Brewers became the first team in the major leagues to clinch a division title this season, winning their fourth consecutive NL Central crown.

Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy played all his regulars. The Brewers have the best record in the majors at 95-57 and hope to finish atop the overall standings to earn home-field advantage throughout the postseason. Milwaukee has won seven of its past eight games.

Oneil Cruz, Brandon Lowe and Rafael Flores Jr. homered in consecutive innings to put the Pirates ahead 4-3 in the sixth. The Pirates, who have lost four of five, have hit a franchise-record 174 home runs this season, breaking the previous mark of 171 in 1998.

Antonio Senzatela (11-5) retired two batters and Trevor Megill pitched a perfect ninth for his 28th save.

Both starting pitchers, Milwaukee’s Logan Henderson and Pittsburgh’s Jared Jones, allowed three runs in five innings. Jones struck out nine and Henderson fanned eight.

Henderson has given up three runs or fewer in each of his first 22 career starts, one shy of the major league record set by Zac Gallen from 2019-20 with Miami and Arizona.

Consecutive RBI singles by the Brewers’ Andrew Vaughn and Cooper Pratt in the second inning opened the scoring. Brice Turang doubled home a run in the fifth.

The series concludes Thursday afternoon with Brewers LHP Kyle Harrison (10-4, 3.98 ERA) starting against RHP Wilber Dotel (1-5, 4.84).

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Pittsburgh Pirates' Rafael Flores Jr. celebrates as he rounds second base after hitting a solo home run off Milwaukee Brewers' Logan Henderson during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Milwaukee Brewers' Andrew Vaughn (28) follows through on a single off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Jared Jones, driving in a run, during the second inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Trevor Megill, right, celebrates with catcher William Contreras after getting the final out of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Milwaukee Brewers' Christian Yelich (22) celebrates with first base coach Spencer Allen after driving in two runs with a single off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Milwaukee Brewers' Christian Yelich hits a single off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski, driving in two runs, during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)