Jake Bauers lined a bases-loaded, walk-off single in the ninth inning, giving Milwaukee a 2-1 victory over the visiting Philadelphia Phillies in the finale of a three-game series between division leaders after the Brewers clinched the National League Central earlier on Wednesday.

Rookie Jackson Chourio sent the second pitch of the ninth from Carlos Estevez (4-5) the opposite way for a triple into the right field corner. William Contreras was walked intentionally and took second on catcher’s indifference. Willy Adames drew a one-out walk to load the bases.

Bauers then lined the first pitch down the right field line to clinch a three-game series win for the Brewers.

Milwaukee (88-64) clinched the NL Central title by virtue of the Cubs’ 5-3 afternoon loss at home to Oakland. It is the Brewers’ second consecutive division title, third in the last four seasons and fourth in the last seven.

Closer Devin Williams (1-0), who missed the first 104 games with a back injury, struck out the side in the ninth.

The loss prevented the Phillies (91-61) from clinching a postseason berth. Philadelphia, which has the best record in baseball, leads the NL East by seven games over the Mets.

The Phillies lead the Dodgers by one game for the best record in the National League. Milwaukee is two games behind Los Angeles. The top two teams get a first-round bye in the playoffs.

Phillies starter Aaron Nola allowed one run — a sixth-inning homer by Rhys Hoskins — on three hits in seven innings, striking out nine and walking one.

Brewers starter Freddy Peralta allowed one run on two hits — Alec Bohm’s leadoff homer in the second — over five innings, striking out nine and walking two.

Hoskins, who played for the Phillies from 2017-22 before missing last season with a knee injury, brought the Brewers even at 1-1 when he opened the fifth with his 25th homer, sending a 2-2 pitch from Nola 385 feet to left-center.

Bohm staked the Phillies to a 1-0 lead in the second with his 14th homer, a one-out shot to center.

–Field Level Media