MILWAUKEE (Interstat) — Jacob Misiorowski pitched six scoreless innings and William Contreras went 4-for-4 as the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Atlanta Braves 2-1 on Friday afternoon at American Family Field.

Misiorowski (13-5) scattered four hits and struck out six without issuing a walk. He retired the side in order in the first, third, fifth and sixth innings, allowing only two runners to reach scoring position against him. Misiorowski’s effort backed a Brewers offense that did its damage in a two-run third inning, and Milwaukee’s bullpen made the lead stand.

Chris Sale (12-9) took the loss for Atlanta despite six strikeouts in six innings. He allowed eight hits and two earned runs. Sale worked around trouble in the first inning, stranding two runners when he got Jake Bauers to ground out to end the frame. He retired the side in order in the fourth and fifth innings, but the Brewers broke through in the third.

Luis Lara started the rally with a one-out single to left. Jackson Chourio followed with a sharp line drive to center, putting runners on the corners. Brice Turang struck out for the second out, but Contreras singled through the middle on a ground ball that deflected off Sale, scoring Lara and sending Chourio to third. Andrew Vaughn then grounded into a force play, with shortstop Mauricio Dubón fielding and flipping to second base for the force on Contreras, but Chourio crossed the plate before the relay to first was completed. The play gave Milwaukee a 2-0 lead.

That proved to be enough for Misiorowski, who dominated the Braves through the middle innings. He struck out Matt Olson twice and Austin Riley twice, and he induced weak contact from the top of Atlanta’s order. Ronald Acuña Jr. walked in the first inning but was caught stealing second to end the frame. The Braves put a runner on second in the third when Mike Yastrzemski singled and advanced on Acuña’s groundout, but Drake Baldwin grounded out to strand him.

Atlanta threatened again in the fifth. Mauricio Dubón grounded out, but Dominic Smith singled. Austin Riley struck out, and Yastrzemski walked to put two on with two outs. Acuña grounded out to short to end the inning.

The Braves’ best opportunity came in the eighth inning. Yastrzemski led off with a walk, and Acuña reached when he grounded into a fielder’s choice and second baseman Brice Turang threw wide to first on the attempted double play, allowing Acuña to advance to second. Drake Baldwin struck out, but Matt Olson singled to left, sending Acuña to third. Michael Harris II singled to left, scoring Acuña and cutting the Milwaukee lead to 2-1. Ozzie Albies walked to load the bases, but Dubón lined out to right fielder Luis Lara to end the inning.

Trevor Megill worked the ninth for his 24th save. He retired Dominic Smith on a groundout and Austin Riley on a flyout to center. Yastrzemski singled with two outs, but Megill struck out Acuña swinging to end the game.

Harris finished 2-for-4 with an RBI. Dubón also had two hits, singling in the second and again in the seventh before being erased on a throw from left fielder Jackson Chourio. Contreras led Milwaukee with a perfect afternoon at the plate, singling in the first, third and fifth innings and again in the eighth. Vaughn drove in the other Brewers run with his third-inning force out.

Milwaukee’s bullpen protected the lead after Misiorowski departed. Antonio Senzatela allowed three hits and one earned run over two innings, striking out one. Megill inherited a tense situation in the eighth with two on and one out after Contreras singled and Garrett Mitchell walked, but he struck out Jake Bauers and got Gary Sánchez to ground into a double play, ending the threat.

Atlanta’s relief corps also kept the game close. Brent Suter struck out two batters in a perfect seventh inning, and Dylan Dodd allowed one hit in a scoreless eighth. Sale absorbed the loss despite a solid outing, and the Braves fell to 75-54. Milwaukee improved to 80-49.

The game took 2 hours, 21 minutes and was played before an announced crowd of 40,130. It was the opener of a three-game series between the National League’s top two division leaders. The Brewers have now won two straight, while the Braves have split their last four.

Interstat’s game simulator projected a 5-3 Milwaukee victory, and its ELO system gave the Brewers a 58.80 percent probability to win. Milwaukee was a 1.5-run favorite, and the teams’ combined three runs stayed below the 6.5 over-under line.