The Milwaukee Brewers may be the most frustrating best team in baseball that the league has seen in a long time. Yet, the remain the undisputed best team in Major League Baseball so far. A year after winning a franchise record 97 games, the Brewers were the first MLB team in 2026 to reach 90 wins thanks to their 4-3 walk-off victory over the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday night.
As has been the case often this year, Milwaukee’s offense struggled at the plate while the pitching staff fell short of perfection in their attempt to keep the team afloat. After Trevor Megill gave up two runs in the top of the ninth, Jackson Chourio hit a two-run game-tying home run to tie it.
DL Hall threw a scoreless 10th inning, highlighted by Garrett Mitchell throwing out Seiya Suzuki at third base when he tried to tag up following a fly ball.
In the bottom of the extra frame, rookie Luis Lara added the cherry on top.
Milwaukee Brewers rookie Luis Lara reveals what Pat Murphy said to him right before his walk-off hit
The Brewers were able to load the bases in the tenth inning, prompting a mound visit ahead of Lara’s at-bat. During this visit, the camera showed that Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy had emerged from the dugout to give his rookie outfielder a pep talk.
When play resumed, Lara laced the first pitch he saw into left field for the game-winning hit. He was, of course, showered with praise (and Gatorade) by his teammates after the heroic liner.
After the game, Lara was asked by Tim Dillard of Brewers TV what Murphy said to him right before his walk-off single. “He asked me if I was ready and I told him ‘Yes.’ He told me he had confidence in me and it’s what he’s always told me. I appreciate him a lot.”
Somewhat ironically, the broadcast spent Sal Frelick‘s at bat, which happened immediately prior to Lara’s, talking about how the Gold Glove outfielder had not had a walk-off hit in his career. Frelick dumped a single into left field, but it was not deep enough to score the run.
Lara, who has been in the Majors for just two months, was the one who came away with his first career walk-off hit. After going 0-4 at the plate up to that point, there was no better time for his first hit of the game.
The Brewers rookie is now hitting .260/.333/.353 with a home run, 22 RBI, and three stolen bases since being called up to the Major League roster. Milwaukee is now nine games ahead of the Chicago and has already won the season series. They can go a full 10 games up in the National League Central Division if they complete the sweep on Wednesday.
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