MILWAUKEE (Interstat) — In a regular-season finale defined by a decisive fourth-inning rally and a cascade of dominant relief pitching, the Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Cincinnati Reds 4-2 on Sunday evening at American Family Field.

A crowd of 41,055 watched as the Brewers, having already clinched their postseason position, used a six-pitcher committee to stifle the Reds’ offense after the third inning, securing a series split and capping their successful campaign. The loss concluded a winning but ultimately non-playoff season for Cincinnati.

The game began as a pitcher’s duel, with both starters showing flashes of effectiveness but unable to navigate deep into the contest. Cincinnati’s Brady Singer, who was saddled with the loss to finish his season at 14-12, was touched for all four Milwaukee runs over 3 1/3 innings of work.

Cincinnati struck first in the top of the second inning. Elly De La Cruz launched a solo home run, his 22nd of the season, on a fly ball to straightaway center field to give the Reds an early lead. Spencer Steer followed with a ground-rule double but was later erased on a fielder’s choice that required a successful Brewers challenge to overturn the initial safe call, preventing further damage.

The Reds added to their lead in the top of the third when leadoff hitter TJ Friedl homered to right-center field, his 14th of the year, making the score 2-0. Noelvi Marte followed with a single, but Milwaukee starter Chad Patrick induced an inning-ending double play from Miguel Andujar to limit the scoring.

Milwaukee immediately responded in the home half of the third to halve the deficit. Jackson Chourio led off with a double that caromed off the glove of a diving Friedl in center field. Brice Turang then drove him in by lashing a double of his own to center, cutting the Reds’ lead to 2-1.

The turning point came in the bottom of the fourth inning. Isaac Collins sparked the rally with a ground-rule double down the right-field line. After a flyout advanced Collins to third, catcher Danny Jansen stepped in and delivered the game’s pivotal blow, launching a two-run home run to left field. The shot, Jansen’s 14th of the season, vaulted the Brewers into a 3-2 lead and chased Singer from the game.

The Brewers were not finished. Reliever Scott Barlow entered and promptly allowed a single to Chourio and a walk to Turang. Andrew Vaughn then delivered a clutch double to center field, scoring Chourio to extend the Milwaukee advantage to 4-2. The three-run inning provided all the cushion the Brewers’ bullpen would require.

From that point forward, the game belonged to Milwaukee’s relievers. Following Patrick’s one-inning start, Aaron Ashby, Jared Koenig, Trevor Megill and Abner Uribe combined to throw five perfect innings, retiring all 15 Reds batters they faced.

Ashby was particularly sharp, needing just two innings to record six outs, striking out two. Megill, who was credited with the win to improve to 6-3, worked a dominant top of the seventh, striking out two in a 1-2-3 frame.

Cincinnati’s own bullpen offered a valiant effort to keep the game within reach. After Singer’s departure, Scott Barlow, Chase Burns and Connor Phillips combined for 4 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and striking out seven. Burns was electric, striking out four of the five batters he faced over 1 2/3 innings.

The Reds, however, had no answer for the Brewers’ relief corps. Uribe entered in the ninth and retired the side in order, needing just 10 pitches to secure his seventh save of the season and seal the Milwaukee victory.

The game’s outcome defied the pregame projection from Interstat, which had simulated a 6-5 victory for the Reds. Despite the simulator’s prediction, Milwaukee’s ELO rating gave them a 63.5 percent probability to win, a forecast that proved accurate as they covered the -1.5 spread. The total of six runs fell under the over/under line of 7.5.

With the result, the Milwaukee Brewers concluded their 2025 regular season with a record of 97 wins and 65 losses, positioning themselves as a formidable entrant into the postseason. The Cincinnati Reds finished their campaign with a winning record of 83 wins and 79 losses, but it was not enough to extend their season into October.