Christian Yelich's 2-run double rallies NL Central champion Brewers to 5-4 win over Pirates

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).

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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)

CINCINNATI (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell left his start Wednesday night against the Cincinnati Reds after an inning because of left groin tightness.

“I felt good all day (then) the second to last pitch of the bullpen, I (felt) a grab,” Snell said. “I threw one more pitch, then ran out to the dugout. I was just kind of talking to myself throughout that first inning. I was going to try to get through five but didn't really have a good shot at doing that.”

Snell allowed a single to Sal Stewart and had one strikeout in the first inning. Stewart was picked off to end the inning. Snell threw 19 pitches, 10 for strikes before leaving the game.

Snell (4-1, 1.86 ERA) began the season on the IL with left shoulder inflammation. He had surgery in May to remove loose bodies and bone spurs from his left elbow.

He has had groin issues in the past. In 2021, he spent time on the injured list with a left adductor strain, missed almost a month in 2022, and had an IL stint in 2024 due to groin strains.

“It doesn't feel as severe as the times we've dealt with this in the past,” Snell said. “I kept pitching on two of them and strained both of them. So for me to stop, that's a first.”

Snell said he'd like to get one more start in the regular season.

“Obviously, happy that he alerted us early to get him out of the game, not make it worse,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I think No. 1 is we'll see how he comes in tomorrow, how he feels, get some more treatment. When we get back to LA then we can make that decision.”

The Dodgers used six relievers after Snell exited in a 6- 2 loss to the Reds that prevented them from clinching the NL West. They already have wrapped up a 14th consecutive postseason berth.

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Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell (7) throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)