Brewers salvage series split in Pittsburgh despite Cruz's record-breaking home run

The Milwaukee Brewers were hoping to take at least three games from their division foe, the Pittsburgh Pirates, this weekend, but they have to settle for a hard-earned series split as they continue their mediocre 2025 campaign. However, an exciting comeback win on Sunday afternoon could give them a little momentum as they return home for a three-game set against the Boston Red Sox.

The Crew got off to a hot start in Sunday's series finale in Pittsburgh. They plated three runs in the first inning thanks to a sacrifice fly from Rhys Hoskins and an RBI-single by Sal Frelick. Frelick's single resulted in two runs after Pirates' center fielder, Oneil Cruz, airmailed a throw home, allowing Isaac Collins to score from first and Frelick to advance to third base. Meanwhile, the inning started with a leadoff walk from recent "walk machine" Jackson Chourio. Chourio has drawn a walk in four of his last six games.

On the other side of the ball, Logan Henderson was once again spectacular. In his fourth start this season, he covered five innings, struck out six Pirates batters, and allowed just one run. However, that one run was a loud one.

Oneil Cruz sets record for hardest hit ball in the Statcast era with solo home run off Logan Henderson

The lone run that Henderson surrendered was on a solo home run by Oneil Cruz that left his bat at a ridiculous 122.9 MPH. The ball, which ended up in the Allegheny River, traveled 432 feet and seemingly left the ballpark in the blink of an eye. It's the hardest-hit ball ever recorded by Statcast, which began tracking batted balls 10 years ago. Ironically, Cruz held the previous record with a 122.4 MPH single that he hit back in 2022.

Despite the nature of the home run, it was just a solo shot, and the Brewers still held a 3-1 lead. Henderson was pulled after five strong innings and turned the ball over to Nick Mears, who had clearly been the Brewers’ best reliever but has struggled as of late. It was another tough outing for Mears this afternoon. He collected just one out, allowed three hits, threw a costly wild pitch, and ultimately let the Pirates tie the game in the sixth. Mears has now allowed runs in three of his last four appearances.

Mears handed the pitching duties over to Jared Koenig, who managed to escape the sixth inning with no further damage, before being asked to return for the seventh. In the seventh, Adam Frazier, who had an OPS below .600 just a few days ago, gave the Pirates a two-run lead with a two-RBI double down the left-field line that Collins nearly caught in a diving fashion.

With just six outs remaining, a two-run deficit, and in desperate need of a win, the Brewers needed a big hit, and a big hit they got.

Caleb Durbin continues recent hot streak with go-ahead double in the eighth

With a mini four-game hitting streak on the line, and runners on second and third, Durbin lined a two-out double over the head of left fielder Tommy Pham, tying the ball game at five apiece. Durbin has eight hits in his last five games, going back to the series finale against the Baltimore Orioles last Wednesday. He's raised his OPS from .501 to .587 during the stretch and has collected three extra-base hits.

Following Durbin in the lineup today was Brice Turang, who has been in a mini slump as of late. However, Turang lined one down the third base line, scoring Durbin and giving the Crew a one-run lead. Abner Uribe and Trevor Megill shut things down in the eighth and ninth innings, respectively, and the Brewers pulled off a 6-5 win.

Yes, it's just the Pirates, and realistically the Brewers should have won three games this weekend, but the difference between going home on a win and a series split as opposed to flying back to Milwaukee after dropping three games to the last-place Pirates is huge.

The team still sits two games below .500, but they face an interesting test in the Boston Red Sox this week. Boston is also treading water in a competitive division, much like the Brewers, but they have talent up and down their lineup, and they're throwing their ace, Garrett Crochet, who holds a 1.98 ERA through 11 starts, in game one tomorrow afternoon.