Brewers alumni home run derby is a hit
The Milwaukee Brewers held an alumni home run derby as part of their 25th anniversary celebration of American Family Field on July 25, 2025.
Storms forced the closing of the American Family Field roof on Saturday night, Aug. 9.
The Milwaukee Brewers’ seventh inning nearly blew it off.
Trailing by a run against an intimidating New York Mets bullpen, the Brewers responded with a four-run rally capped by a two-run William Contreras home run to completely swing the momentum in what ended up being a 7-4 victory in front of a sixth straight sellout crowd.
Sal Frelick and Isaac Collins also turned in key at-bats earlier in the inning to tie it and then put Milwaukee in the lead in a game that went back and forth all night.
Abner Uribe struck out the side in the eighth and Trevor Megill locked down his 28th save for the Brewers, who have now won eight straight and 11 of 12 to improve to 72-44.
The Mets, meanwhile, have lost six in a row and 10 of 11 overall.
Brice Turang also homered for Milwaukee, which recorded its sixth streak of 10 consecutive errorless games in franchise history and first since last April 9-21 (12 games).
“We’re going through a great moment,” said Contreras as the Brewers have now registered three winning streaks of eight or more games in a season in franchise history while also becoming the first team in the major leagues to accomplish the feat since the 2023 Atlanta Braves.
“One of the better moments that the franchise has gone through,” Contreras continued. “It’s great vibes in the clubhouse whenever you’re going through a stretch like this and winning games, and any clubhouse that you’re in, this is what you’re chasing after.
“It’s just a good feeling all the way around.”
Milwaukee surges back into the lead
Milwaukee was trailing, 4-3, entering the seventh when the vibe completely shifted.
The comeback began with a Turang single off Ryne Stanek, then a one-out, ground-rule double by Joey Ortiz put runners on second and third for Frelick. His chopper to the left of the mound scored Turang to tie it at 4-4.
On came ex-St. Louis Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley, who was firing fastballs as fast as 103.8 mph to Collins. Finally, in a 1-2 count, he put the bat on a 103.1-mph offering and hit a 99.7-mph shot right at third baseman Ronny Mauricio, who was unable to get a glove on it.
The ball trickled into left field to plate Ortiz and put the Brewers back in front for the first time since the second inning. Collins is now 4 for 4 in his career against the all-star Helsley.
“Collins’ ball he hit, 103 miles per hour,” Murphy said. “Fouled one off then got another 103 and you know what I always say, ‘You can time up a jet plane if you know it’s coming.’ So, hat’s off to him – he wasn’t having his normal best day, and hat’s off to Sal for battling like he did and putting the ball in play.”
But the rally wasn’t finished yet, as Contreras stepped to the plate.
His at-bat appeared to have lasted all of one pitch, as he sent a liner to right that nestled into Juan Soto’s glove. But Helsley was ultimately issued a pitch-clock violation by home-plate umpire Ryan Additon, earning Contreras another chance.
On the very next pitch, Contreras smoked a 100.1-mph fastball up in the zone out to left-center to open the lead to 7-4.
“I didn’t really realize it was a ball until the umpire came out and called it as such,” Contreras said. “After that, just kind of maintaining my plan for the next pitch and always staying on the fastball there with Helsley.
“Got one, and was able to put a good swing on it.”
The homer was the 10th of the season for the Brewers backstop, who continues to play through a fractured left middle finger. His celebration was much more animated than normal, as he offered an emphatic slap of hands to first-base coach Julio Borbón as he began his trek around the bases with the gathering of 40,156 going bonkers.
“It’s been a little bit since I’ve had a feeling like that,” Contreras said. “That felt like a ‘circle’ moment. Like, ‘This is me. This is who I am,’ and kind of back to myself and the guy I’ve been the last two years for this team.”
Yet another incredible turn of events for this team that seems to be getting – or creating – all the breaks.
“I think it’s kind of hard to evaluate that kind of thing,” Murphy said. “You’ve got to expect it and bounce back the next play, no matter if it goes for you or doesn’t go for you.
“It’s that relentlessness that’s unique about our club.”
A back-and-forth game early
Pete Alonso’s solo homer off starter Tobias Myers to open the second got the Mets the lead only to have the Brewers come back with a pair in the bottom of the frame when shortstop Francisco Lindor failed to glove Ortiz’s chopper up the middle with the bases loaded.
A Starling Marte homer with one out in the third tied it back up, then a Cedric Mullins single in the fourth gave New York a 3-2 lead before Turang blasted a solo shot to center off former teammate Frankie Montas to square things up at 3-3.
It was Turang’s second homer in as many games and 10th overall, giving him the first double-digit total of his career.
Myers, in his fourth stint with the Brewers this season and filling in for the injured Logan Henderson, lasted 3 â…“ innings, 66 pitches and one ‘Adrian Houser moment’ before giving way to Aaron Ashby.
“It was definitely hot out there,” Myers said. “It was pretty steamy. I don’t think it was that, though; I had just drank a lot of water. It’s happened, like, seven times in my career, so nothing new.
“Try to forget it as quick as you can, and hopefully, no cameras.”
No such luck for Myers, of course, who allowed five hits, three runs and two walks with four strikeouts.
A third solo homer, this one by Soto off Ashby to open the fifth, gave the Mets the lead back at 4-3 and it stayed that way until the decisive seventh.
“It’s Aug. 9, guys,” Murphy said. “We’re in a good spot, and we’re the right group. But we’ve still got to go this way. Understand our journey. The steps are exactly the same, but there’s a lot more with it.
“They’re the same steps, but as you get closer to the top of the mountain there’s more fear, there’s more consequence, all that kind of stuff. So, you’ve got to take the same steps, and it’s hard to do when all that other stuff happens.”
What time is the Brewers game tonight?
Time: 6:10 p.m. CT.
What channel is the Brewers game on tonight?
TV channel: FanDuel Sports Wisconsin.
National League Central standingsBrewers: 71-44; –Cubs: 66-49; 5.0 GBReds: 60-57; 12.0 GBCardinals: 59-58; 12.0 GBPirates: 51-66; 21.0 GBBrewers lineupSal Frelick RFIsaac Collins LFWilliam Contreras CChristian Yelich DHAndrew Vaughn 1BBlake Perkins CFBrice Turang 2BAnthony Seigler 3BJoey Ortiz SSMets lineupFrancisco Lindor SSJuan Soto RFStarling Marte DHPete Alonso 1BBrandon Nimmo LFMark Vientos 3BJeff McNeil 2BFrancisco Alvarez CCedric Mullins CF
Brewers vs. Mets, Aug. 10, 1:10 p.m.: Milwaukee RHP Quinn Priester (11-2, 3.15) vs. New York LHP Sean Manaea (1-1, 3.52). TV – FanDuel Sports Wisconsin. Radio – AM-620 WTMJ.