In a much-needed turnaround, the Atlanta Braves snapped their seven-game losing streak with a commanding 7-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday, June 9, 2025, at American Family Field. The star of the night was none other than reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale, who dazzled on the mound by striking out a season-high 11 batters and allowing just one run over seven dominant innings.
Sale's performance was a beacon of hope for the Braves, who had been struggling to find their footing. He scattered five hits, issued two walks, and maintained an imposing presence that kept the Brewers' offense largely in check. Sale's recent stretch has been nothing short of spectacular, having surrendered only four runs over 33 innings in his last five starts. His ERA now stands at an impressive 2.79, and this outing marked the fourth time this season he has recorded double-digit strikeouts, bringing his career total to 91, ranking him eighth all-time.
Milwaukee's lone run came early in the third inning. Joey Ortiz led off with a double and advanced to third on a sacrifice fly from Jackson Chourio. William Contreras then delivered a clutch two-out single up the middle, sneaking past a diving Nick Allen to bring Ortiz home. Despite this early spark, the Brewers struggled to build momentum, managing just five hits overall and striking out 15 times.
The Braves offense was fueled by powerful home runs from Matt Olson, Ronald Acuña Jr., and Eli White. Acuña Jr. tied the game in the fifth inning with a towering opposite-field homer off Brewers starter Aaron Civale, who had kept the Braves off the scoreboard through the first four innings despite allowing multiple baserunners. Civale’s control faltered in the fourth, walking Olson and hitting Marcell Ozuna with no outs, but he managed to escape the inning by striking out Alex Verdugo and inducing a pop out from Ozzie Albies.
The fifth inning proved pivotal. After Acuña Jr.'s homer tied the game, Austin Riley doubled with two outs, prompting Brewers manager Pat Murphy to pull Civale in favor of left-hander DL Hall. Hall, who returned recently from a left lat strain, had been effective all season without allowing a home run—until Olson blasted Hall’s very first pitch of the inning deep to dead center field for a two-run homer, putting the Braves ahead 3-1. Hall settled down afterward, pitching three innings and allowing just one additional hit.
Sale, meanwhile, cruised through the middle innings, striking out the side in both the fourth and sixth frames. After allowing a leadoff single to Daz Cameron in the seventh, he quickly retired the next three batters to keep the Brewers at bay. Sale’s dominance was a stark contrast to the Brewers’ offense, which failed to generate much after the early third inning run.
The Braves’ bullpen also stepped up when called upon. After Sale walked Brice Turang to start the eighth inning, Raisel Iglesias entered and efficiently retired three straight batters on just eight pitches, lowering his ERA to 6.48. Iglesias was pitching for the first time since a rough outing last Thursday, where he had allowed three runs in two-thirds of an inning during a heartbreaking 11-10 loss to Arizona.
Meanwhile, the Brewers’ bullpen struggled to contain the Braves’ late-inning surge. After Hall’s exit in the eighth, Grant Anderson was brought in for a righty-righty matchup against Eli White. However, White crushed a full-count slider over the left-field fence to extend the Braves’ lead to 5-1. The Braves then loaded the bases in the ninth with one out, thanks to two walks and a single by Austin Riley. Marcell Ozuna followed with a two-run single up the middle, capping the scoring at 7-1. Anderson managed to strike out White in his second at-bat to end the inning, but the damage was done.
Notably, Atlanta’s Ozzie Albies recorded his 1,000th career hit with a single in the eighth inning off Hall, a milestone that added to the celebratory atmosphere for the Braves.
Milwaukee’s struggles continue to mount. This loss marked their second straight defeat and third in their last four games at home. Their offense has been stifled, managing just five runs over the last four games and suffering two shutouts during this homestand. The Brewers’ manager Pat Murphy expressed admiration for Sale’s performance, saying, "He’s the right dude, man. I’m just impressed with him. He was dominant." Murphy also reflected on the tough night, noting, "There were some good performances, but on a night like tonight you just have to turn the page and give credit where credit is due."
The matchup also highlighted an interesting historical footnote: this was the first time since 2016 that the Brewers faced defending Cy Young Award winners from both leagues in the same season. Back then, the Brewers faced Jake Arrieta and Dallas Keuchel, managing a mixed record against those elite pitchers.
Looking ahead, the Brewers will aim to bounce back in the second game of the series on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. Right-hander Quinn Priester (3-2, 3.88 ERA) is scheduled to start for Milwaukee, while the Braves will counter with right-hander Grant Holmes (3-4, 3.99 ERA). First pitch is slated for 6:40 p.m. The Brewers will hope to tighten their offense and avoid falling further behind in this critical stretch of the season.
For the Braves, Monday’s victory was a much-needed confidence boost, halting a losing skid that threatened to derail their campaign. With Sale at the helm and key offensive contributions from Acuña Jr., Olson, and White, Atlanta appears poised to regain their competitive edge as the season progresses.
