JOSH HADER

NLDS Brewers Braves Baseball Atlanta Braves Freddie Freeman celebrates after Game 4 of a baseball National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers, Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021, in Atlanta. The Atlanta Braves won 5-4 to advance to the NLCS. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) (John Bazemore)ATLANTA — (AP) — Freddie Freeman and the Atlanta Braves will get another chance to finish the job they came agonizingly close to achieving a year ago. The game was tied at 4 when the Brewers brought on Hader to make sure it stayed that way. “When Freddie hit that ball, I mean, I lost my poise.

(AP Photo/Brynn Anderson) (Brynn Anderson)ATLANTA — (AP) — At least the Milwaukee Brewers went down swinging. But there weren’t many more highlights in October as the Brewers head into the offseason still seeking their first championship. They haven’t been to the World Series since 1982, despite making the playoffs in each of the last four years. After no action in the sixth and seventh, the drama came down to Hader, a gas-throwing left-hander, facing Freeman, a left-handed-hitting slugger. Hader led NL relievers with 102 strikeouts in 58 2/3 innings and was handed his only blown save on July 7 at the New York Mets.

At least the Milwaukee Brewers came out swinging.

NLDS Brewers Braves Baseball Atlanta Braves' Freddie Freeman (5) hits a single against the Milwaukee Brewers during the sixth inning of Game 4 of a baseball National League Division Series, Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson) (Brynn Anderson)ATLANTA — (AP) — Freddie Freeman homered off Milwaukee closer Josh Hader with two outs in the eighth inning and the Atlanta Braves advanced to the NL Championship Series for the second year in a row, finishing off the Milwaukee Brewers 5-4 on Tuesday night. The game was tied at 4 when the Brewers brought on Hader to make sure it stayed that way. Will Smith pitched a scoreless ninth for his third straight save in the series, while Tyler Matzek claimed the win with a perfect eighth. Freddie!” the crowd chanted as the Braves celebrated in the center of the field.

Freddie Freeman hit a tiebreaking home run off Milwaukee closer Josh Hader with two outs in the eighth inning and the Atlanta Braves advanced to the NL Championship Series for the second year in a row.

Rowdy Tellez spoiled Charlie Morton’s gem with a two-run homer in the seventh inning and threw out a runner at home plate, leading the Milwaukee Brewers over the Atlanta Braves 2-1 in the opener of their NL Division Series.

Angels Mariners Baseball Los Angeles Angels' Shohei Ohtani watches the path of his solo home run against the Seattle Mariners in the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, Oct. 3, 2021, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson) (Elaine Thompson)NEW YORK — (AP) — Two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels was selected major league player of the year by Baseball Digest and eBay. Ohtani received 16 first-place votes in balloting by a 19-member panel of baseball writers and broadcasters that included several former players, managers and executives. Toronto Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. got two first-place votes and came in second, 14 points behind Ohtani. Hader was a runaway winner with 16 first-place votes after converting 34 of 35 save chances for NL Central champion Milwaukee this season.

Two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels has been selected major league player of the year by Baseball Digest and eBay.

Atlanta can clinch its fourth consecutive NL East title Thursday night with a win at home over Philadelphia, which would complete a three-game sweep of their high-stakes series.

Brewers Cubs Baseball Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Devin Williams delivers during the ninth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2021, in Chicago. The Milwaukee Brewers won the first game of a split doubleheader 4-2. The main setup man for All-Star closer Josh Hader, the 27-year-old Williams is 8-2 with a 2.50 ERA in 58 games this season. Williams hurt himself on the day the Brewers clinched the NL Central crown. That’s how it happened.”Williams apologized to the Brewers and their fans for the circumstances that led to his injury.

This was not the kind of punchout Milwaukee reliever Devin Williams wanted: The valuable setup man could miss the entire postseason after breaking his pitching hand when he punched a wall.

Milwaukee Brewers reliever Devin Williams fractured his throwing hand when he punched a wall after his team celebrated its NL Central title.

The Milwaukee Brewers clinched their second NL Central title in four years, beating the sloppy New York Mets 8-4 behind Willy Adames’s two-run homer and three RBIs.

Manny Piña homered twice, Eduardo Escobar and Jace Peterson also connected, and the Milwaukee Brewers clinched their fourth straight postseason berth with a 6-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday night. The Brewers won for the seventh time in nine games to ensure themselves at least a wild card after San Diego and Cincinnati lost earlier in the day. Milwaukee's magic number to lock up the NL Central title is three over St. Louis.

Kolten Wong and the Milwaukee Brewers moved a step closer to clinching the NL Central title by continuing their season-long domination of the Chicago Cubs. Wong hit a tiebreaking, two-out single during a four-run rally in the eighth inning as Milwaukee beat the Cubs 8-5 on Friday night. The Brewers’ magic number for wrapping up the division fell to four.

Houston Astros right-hander Zack Greinke makes his first start Tuesday night since testing positive for COVID-19 last month.

Max Scherzer of the Los Angeles Dodgers is pitching a perfect game through seven innings against the San Diego Padres.

Brewers Indians Baseball Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Corbin Burnes delivers against the Cleveland Indians during the first inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. This time is was by Burnes — who has become a Cy Young contender as the Brewers run away with the NL Central — and Hader, one of the game's top closers. Juan Nieves pitched the Brewers’ previous no-hitter on April 15, 1987, at Baltimore. Arizona’s Madison Bumgarner also had a seven-inning no-hitter in the second game of a doubleheader at Atlanta on April 25. ___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsCopyright 2021 The Associated Press.

Milwaukee ace Corbin Burnes combined with reliever Josh Hader to pitch baseball’s record ninth no-hitter this season, breaking a mark set when pitchers began throwing overhand in 1884 as the Brewers beat the Cleveland Indians 3-0.

In a sometimes sticky season, Corbin Burnes got a grip on history. Milwaukee's ace combined with reliever Josh Hader to pitch baseball’s record ninth no-hitter this season, breaking a mark set when pitchers began throwing overhand in 1884 as the Brewers beat the Cleveland Indians 3-0 on Saturday night. Months after Major League Baseball clamped down on pitchers' use of illicit foreign substances following a rash of early no-hitters, Burnes cemented 2021 as the Season of the No-No with just the second no-hitter in Brewers history.

APTOPIX Brewers Giants Baseball San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey, right, prepares to tag out Milwaukee Brewers' Luis Urias at home during the second inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021. Josh Hader closed out the Brewers' fourth straight victory for his 29th save. LaMonte Wade Jr. doubled with one out in the eighth against Jake Cousins but San Francisco couldn't capitalize. Kris Bryant hit an RBI double in the fifth for San Francisco. An injury forced Anderson out early for a second straight outing after he left his last start because of right hip tightness.

Jace Peterson hit a go-ahead single in the seventh, Lorenzo Cain homered for a second straight game and the Milwaukee Brewers knocked the San Francisco Giants out of the top spot in the National League for the first time in more than three months.

Luis Urías tied a major league record with five extra-base hits and Manny Piña drove in six runs, leading the Milwaukee Brewers to a 17-4 romp over the Chicago Cubs.

Milwaukee right-hander Corbin Burnes struck out 10 consecutive batters, tying the major league record and leading the Brewers past the Chicago Cubs 10-0.

The diamond is built, and now they will come -- José Abreu, Aaron Judge and all, to Iowa.

Brandon Belt hit his second homer of the night during a four-run outburst in the 11th inning as the San Francisco Giants rallied to beat the Milwaukee Brewers 9-6 in a wild Saturday night matchup between division leaders.

Miguel Cabrera’s 500th career homer could be just a few swings away.

Anthony Rizzo and the New York Yankees host surprising Seattle in the opener of a four-game series between AL wild-card contenders Thursday night.

The NL Central-leading Brewers are again shuffling their pitching staff with reliever John Axford now out for the season because of elbow trouble and starter Eric Lauer joining the team’s growing COVID-19 injured list.

The Milwaukee Brewers’ pitching staff has taken a couple more hits with John Axford now out for the season with elbow trouble and Eric Lauer joining the COVID-19 injured list.

For the first time since their swiping scandal was revealed, the Astros will play in front of a crowd at Dodger Stadium when they open a two-game set. “Our fans have waited a long time to have these guys at our place,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts over the weekend. “And we’ll leave it at that.”The Astros visited Dodger Stadium last year when crowds weren’t permitted because of the coronavirus pandemic. VIRUS WOESYankees ace Gerrit Cole has tested positive for COVID-19, the latest in a series of players to get the virus. Hader’s positive COVID-19 test will sideline him for at least 10 days.

Now, they’re about to hear it from the fans who feel Houston cheated them out of the 2017 World Series championship. For the first time since their swiping scandal was revealed, the Astros will play in front of a crowd at Dodger Stadium when they open a two-game set. “Our fans have waited a long time to have these guys at our place,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts over the weekend. “And we’ll leave it at that.”The Astros visited Dodger Stadium last year when crowds weren’t permitted because of the coronavirus pandemic. Astros manager Dusty Baker can envision how the Dodgers crowd will greet his AL West leaders.

José Altuve, Carlos Correa and the Astros have been heckled at Yankee Stadium, Cleveland, Phoenix and many other parks, the result of their sign-stealing scheme.

Highly touted Milwaukee prospect Aaron Ashby got roughed up for seven runs in the first inning of his big league debut, but Luis Urias homered twice as the Brewers rallied to rout the Chicago Cubs 15-7 for their eighth straight win.

SETBACK IN THE BULLPENBlue Jays right-hander Kirby Yates will miss several weeks because of a strained muscle in his forearm. He allowed one run and five hits, striking out five without a walk. Ross Stripling struck out seven and walked none in 3 2/3 innings, but gave up three runs and five hits. Bryan Abreu, a top Astros pitching prospect who turns 24 next month, started and pitched three perfect innings, striking out four. Baltimore starter John Means allowed four hits and walked three over 3 2/3 innings, striking out three.

Harris has a blood clot in his right arm and is leaving spring training camp to be examined by a specialist, manager Dave Martinez said Friday, March 19, 2021. (Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via AP)Washington Nationals reliever Will Harris has a blood clot in his right arm and the team doesn't expect him to be in the bullpen on opening day. Carlos Martínez struggled in his fourth start for St. Louis. DODGERS 7, RANGERS 2Julio Urías made his fourth start for Los Angeles, allowing two hits in four shutout innings, striking out three. Adrian Houser made his fourth start.

The center fielder for the Seattle Mariners won the AL Rookie of the Year award Monday night, and Milwaukee Brewers reliever Devin Williams took home the NL honor. “It’s just a great first step for me and being in that category, it’s just really special,” Lewis said. “I don’t really think that saves are the end-all be-all,” Williams said on a conference call during a vacation in Jamaica. Lewis batted just .147 in September, and Robert hit .136 with 32 strikeouts in 23 games in the final month. This season, Williams teamed with closer Josh Hader to form a shutdown tandem at the back end of the Brewers’ bullpen.

Los Angeles Dodgers' Mookie Betts flies out to right field during the third inning of the team's baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday, Sept. 25, 2020, in Los Angeles. Welcome to the first round of the 2020 playoffs, a class with an unusual amount of homework — and precious little room for error. After the pandemic-shortened regular season was limited to regional play, seven of the eight wild-card series involve teams that haven't played any meaningful games against each other since last year. “It’s like the old days, man, when you played a team you’ve never played before. That means a lot of video and scouting work before the AL playoffs begin Tuesday and the NL postseason starts Wednesday.

The .245 big league batting average was the the lowest since .237 in 1968 and down from .252 last year. LeMahieu hit .364 for the New York Yankees, the highest for an AL batting champion since Minnesota’s Joe Mauer hit .365 in 2009 and well ahead of 2019 AL batting champion Tim Anderson of the Chicago White Sox, who finished second at .322. LeMahieu won the NL batting title with Colorado in 2016. “You've got to just roll with it.”Soto batted .351 for Washington and at 21 years, 11 months, 2 days became the youngest NL batting champion. Bieber and the Chicago Cubs’ Yu Darvish tied for the major league lead in wins with eight.

Cleveland Indians' Cesar Hernandez, center, is mobbed by teammates after hitting an RBI-single in the ninth inning in a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)CLEVELAND Milwaukee closer Josh Hader allowed his first hit of the season, and then gave up Csar Hernndezs game-winning single in the ninth inning as the Cleveland Indians beat the Brewers 4-3 on Saturday night. Oscar Mercado, who scored on Hernndezs liner through a five-man infield, led off the ninth with a double, ending Haders major league-record streak of 12 hitless appearances to start the season. The right-hander gave up an RBI double to Daniel Vogelbach in the fourth and Hiuras homer. Indians: RHP Shane Bieber (6-0, 1.20 ERA) faces Milwaukee for the first time in his three-year MLB career.

Milwaukee Brewers' Eric Sogard celebrates after hitting a walk off two-run home run during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates Saturday, Aug. 29, 2020, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)MILWAUKEE Eric Sogard bailed out All-Star closer Josh Hader by hitting his first career walkoff home run, a two-run shot that lifted the Milwaukee Brewers over the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-6 on Saturday night. Something you probably wont see again out of Hader, kind of a fluke thing," Sogard said. Entering Saturday, the left-handed Hader was 7-for-7 in save opportunities and had not allowed a run or a hit all season. UP NEXTPirates LHP Steven Brault (0-1, 4.80 ERA) faces Brewers RHP Brandon Woodruff (2-2, 3.19 ERA) in game three of the four-game series.

Minnesota Twins pitcher Kenta Maeda of Japan throws against the Milwaukee Brewers in the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)MINNEAPOLIS Kenta Maeda lost a no-hitter in the ninth inning for the Minnesota Twins, who blew a three-run lead but came back to beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 in 12 innings. Maeda's no-hit bid was ended by Eric Sogard's soft single that soared just over the glove of a leaping Polanco at shortstop. Maeda retired 21 straight batters in a stretch from the first to the eighth innings and finished with 12 strikeouts. Opponents are 0 for 22 against Hader this season, with four walks and one hit by pitch 12 strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings.

Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Josh Hader signals with catcher Manny Pina (9) after a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Sunday, Aug. 16, 2020, in Chicago (AP Photo/Matt Marton)CHICAGO Keston Hiura and Orlando Arcia homered, and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Chicago Cubs 6-5 on Sunday for their third straight win against the NL Central leaders. The Cubs struck out 53 times during the four-game set. Brewers starter Josh Lindblom also struggled, allowing five runs in five-plus innings. In the fifth, Urias led off with a triple and Arcia followed with a two-run homer to put the Brewers on top 5-3. HOMECOMINGBefore traveling to Minnesota for a three-game series beginning Tuesday night, the Brewers were planning to return home Sunday night.