The magic number is six.
Behind a five-run outburst in the second inning Sept. 17, the Milwaukee Brewers cruised to a 9-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels at American Family Field, the second in as many nights to take the series.
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Brandon Woodruff, pitching for only the second time this month, carved up the Angels despite diminished velocity, tallying nine strikeouts without issuing a walk over five innings.
BOX SCORE: Brewers 9, Angels 2
A three-run home run by Sal Frelick highlighted a five-run outburst early from the Brewers offense, whichhad all of five hits until Blake Perkins’ bases-clearing triple gave the game the same score as the night before.
Perkins collected five RBIs, tying his career high.
Brandon Woodruff departs after striking out nine in five innings
The Brewers opted to give Woodruff a respite, skipping his turn in the rotation over the weekend in hopes of keeping him as fresh as possible for the postseason. Making his first start in 11 days, the 32-year-old right-hander turned in a solid showing, albeit with lowered velo.
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Woodruff struck out nine and walked none over five innings of one-run ball, allowing a lone tally on Taylor Ward’s solo home run in the fourth — the first of two on the night for the Angels left fielder, who later took Nick Mears deep in his first inning back from the injured list.
Woodruff spammed Halos hitters with cutters, throwing them for 31 of his 69 pitches; his previous high in a single game was 21, and his usage of the pitch has ticked up significantly over each of his past three outings now. That was Woodruff’s path to his seventh win of the year, generating eight whiffs as he generally kept the ball elevated and out of the middle of the plate.
His average four-seamer was 92.1 mph and average two-seamer was even lower at 90.8 mph, both down from his season average of roughly 93 mph.
Scary play leads to Angels starter exiting game in second, five runs follow
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – SEPTEMBER 17: José Soriano #59 of the Los Angeles Angels leaves the game in the second inning after being hit by a line drive off the bat of Jake Bauers of the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on September 17, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)
José Soriano’s 2-1 pitch to Jake Bauers in the bottom of the zone flew to the plate at 98 mph and came off the bat even faster at 107.4 mph. The ball ricocheted directly off Soriano’s right arm, making a sound so audible it could be heard from the upper reaches of the ballpark.
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Scored as an infield single for Bauers, it loaded the bases as part of a five-run rally for the Brewers, but all the concern in the moment was with Soriano, who unsurprisingly exited the game, though X-rays were negative for a fracture and he was listed with a forearm contusion.
With Connor Brogdon rushed into duty, the Brewers offense did not relent. Perkins punched a two-strike pitch through the left side of the infield for an opposite-field, two-run single to open the scoring.
Frelick capped the outburst with an exclamation, delivering one of his most impressive at-bats in the big leagues. The right fielder took Brogdon to a ninth pitch in the at-bat, fouling off four straight two-strike pitches before launching a 382-foot home run to right to make it a 5-0 cushion.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – SEPTEMBER 17: Sal Frelick #10 of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrates his three-run homer with Jackson Chourio #11 in the second inning against the Los Angeles Angels at American Family Field on September 17, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)
It was Frelick’s 11th dinger this season; he entered with just five across his first two years.
José Quintana lands on injured list
The Brewers placed left-handed pitcher José Quintana on the 15-day injured list with a left calf strain prior to the game.
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Quintana played catch on Sept. 16 and reported it went well and hoped that he could clear tests running and throwing on Sept. 17 in order to make his next start over the weekend in St. Louis. But the Brewers announced not long after that Quintana was going on the IL, retroactive to Sept. 15.
Mears was activated off the injured list in his place.
What time is the Brewers game today?
Time: 6:40 p.m.
What channel is the Brewers game on today?
TV channel: FanDuel Sports Wisconsin.
Brewers 2025 record
92-59 (best in the major leagues, 4.5-game lead in the National League Central Division).
Brewers magic number
The Brewers magic number to clinch the NL Central a combination of seven wins and/or Cubs losses.
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Brewers lineupAngels lineupBrewers schedule
Brewers vs. Angels, Sept. 18, 6:40 p.m.: Milwaukee RHP Quinn Priester (13-2, 3.25) vs. Los Angeles LHP Yusei Kikuchi (6-11, 4.08). TV – FanDuel Sports Wisconsin. Radio – AM-620 WTMJ.
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff (53) throws during the first inning of their game against the Arizona Diamondbacks Monday, August 25, 2025 at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Frelick, Perkins have big nights for Brewers as magic number hits 6