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Brewers host Phillies, look to clinch NL Central

MLB: Philadelphia Phillies at Milwaukee BrewersSep 17, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Bryson Stott (5) turns a double play as Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Jackson Chourio (11) slides into second base during the sixth inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Brewers will turn to right-hander Freddy Peralta with a chance to clinch the National League Central when they host the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday in the finale of the three-game series between division leaders.

Peralta (11-8, 3.75 ERA) will be opposed by right-hander Aaron Nola (12-8, 3.62).

Despite losing 5-1 to the Phillies on Tuesday night, the Brewers’ magic number dropped to one with the Chicago Cubs’ 4-3 loss to the Oakland Athletics. Bryce Harper and Nick Castellanos each homered and Zack Wheeler allowed one run over seven dominant innings as the Phillies evened the series.

With the Cubs playing a day game Wednesday, there’s a chance the Brewers (87-64) could clinch before their game gets underway. Milwaukee leads Chicago by 10 games.

Brewers first baseman Rhys Hoskins played in the postseason in 2022, the last of his six seasons with Philadelphia, and acknowledged it’s an unusual situation.

“It’s weird. Actually, I’ve never been in that position,” Hoskins said of the possibility of coming to the ballpark as division champions. “The team that I was on that made the playoffs, we were kind of in control of our own destiny, and … got to clinch because we won a game.

“Obviously tomorrow with the schedule, that’s a little bit out of our control,” he said. “In our eyes, we still have to win games here.”

The Phillies (91-60) lowered their magic number to clinch the NL East to four, and to one to secure a postseason berth. Philadelphia leads the Dodgers by two games for best overall record in the NL. Milwaukee is two games back of Los Angeles. The top two teams get a first-round bye in the playoffs.

Philadelphia also secured the tiebreaker against Milwaukee, thanks to a three-game sweep in June.

“We needed a win here for sure,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “We’ll try and win the series (Wednesday), but getting the tiebreaker over these guys, I think it’s going to be huge coming down the stretch.”

Peralta picked up the win his last time out, allowing one run in five innings in a 2-1 victory at Arizona last Friday.

Peralta is 4-2 with a 2.84 ERA over his past seven starts. After pitching six innings in three of his five starts in August, his longest outing in three starts this month is 5 1/3 innings.

Peralta is 0-2 with a 4.01 ERA in six career games, including five starts, against Philadelphia.

Nola has won just once over his past 11 starts, going 1-4 since July 11. In his most recent start, he allowed six runs in 4 1/3 innings in an 11-3 loss to the Mets. He has given up five homers in 15 innings in his three starts this month.

Nola is 7-2 with a 2.76 ERA in 13 career starts vs. the Brewers. He has faced Milwaukee once this season, tossing seven scoreless innings in a 2-0 Phillies victory on June 5.

Harper has three homers in his past four games after a 30-game homerless stretch.

With their win Tuesday, the Phillies improved to 34-1 this season when a starting pitcher goes at least seven innings, including 34 straight. That’s the longest streak in Phillies history and second-longest in major league history behind the 1942 Cardinals (42 straight).

–Field Level Media

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New England, Toronto draw in game marked by missed chances

Jul 22, 2026; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Revolution midfielder Griffin Yow (7) dribbles the ball against Toronto FC defender Richie Laryea (22) in the first half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Edward Finan-Imagn ImagesJul 22, 2026; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Revolution midfielder Griffin Yow (7) dribbles the ball against Toronto FC defender Richie Laryea (22) in the first half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Edward Finan-Imagn Images

The New England Revolution played visitors Toronto FC to a scoreless draw Wednesday in Foxboro, Mass., as MLS played its first full slate of games since the World Cup.

Toronto (3-6-7, 16 points) and New England (8-5-2, 26 points) both failed to capitalize on key opportunities as the 10-point gap between them remained unchanged and Toronto remained outside the playoff picture.

Toronto’s Richie Laryea, back at his usual spot at fullback after playing for Canada at the World Cup, sent a low streaking cross immediately in front of goal only for Jules-Anthony Vilsaint to catch the ball on the wrong side of his boot in the 38th minute.

Carles Gil was quick to respond for the home side, rattling the crossbar on a powerful effort from outside the box. TFC goalkeeper Luka Gavran denied Peyton Miller at the far post off Gil’s curling free kick in the dying seconds of the first half.

Revolution defender Will Sands struck his own crossbar on a bungled clearing attempt in the 59th minute, but sprung up heroically to beat Deandre Kerr to the ball in the air after Josh Sargent kept it in play.

Perhaps with fixture congestion in mind, Sargent was kept on the bench until halftime, though Toronto’s record signing injected some much-needed energy into his team’s frontline. He headed a ball inches wide on a 76th-minute corner.

Canadian youth international Richard Chukwu made his MLS debut in Toronto’s backline and went 71 minutes before subbing off with a cramp. Djordje Mihailovic, who made his first league appearance since March last Thursday, was not in the visitors’ lineup.

TFC extended their winless streak to 11 in all competitions even as Gavran recorded his second consecutive clean sheet. Toronto has yet to score or concede in two games since returning from the World Cup break.

The result marked just the second time New England failed to capture three points at home this season. Goalkeeper Matt Turner collected his fourth clean sheet on the year.

–Field Level Media

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Union topple Red Bulls for first win since April 11

Jul 22, 2026; Chester, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Union forward Milan Iloski (10) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against the New York Red Bulls in the first half at Subaru Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn ImagesJul 22, 2026; Chester, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Union forward Milan Iloski (10) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against the New York Red Bulls in the first half at Subaru Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Union scored their first home win of the season in their first match under interim coach Ryan Richter with a 3-1 defeat of the New York Red Bulls on Wednesday in Chester, Pa.

Milan Iloski, Indiana Vassilev and Neil Pierre scored for the Union (2-10-4, 10 points), who fired coach Bradley Carnell a short time into the World Cup break and promoted Richter from their MLS Next Pro affiliate. Last-place Philadelphia had not won since April 11 at Montreal.

Kai Wagner had an assist in his first game back for Philadelphia seven months after the Union transferred him to Birmingham City in England. Quinn Sullivan subbed on during the second half for his first appearance since tearing an ACL last September.

Cade Cowell scored and Ethan Horvath saved seven shots for the Red Bulls (6-6-4, 22 points).

The Union were the dominant team despite controlling just 36% of the possession. They nearly scored in the third minute when Iloski made a perfect cross to Frankie Westfield in the box, but Westfield’s wide-open shot rolled out on the wrong side of the right post.

Iloski took care of matters himself in the ninth minute. Horvath dropped a saved shot while bumping his own teammate midair, which allowed Iloski to fire in the rebound for his team-high eighth goal of the year.

Near the 22-minute mark, 16-year-old Cavan Sullivan fired a one-timer on goal from outside the box but Horvath pushed it over the bar.

Cowell tied the match in the 38th minute at the end of a clinical passing buildup through the midfield. Emil Forsberg took it to the penalty arc before passing to an unmarked Cowell on his right. Andre Blake (four saves) got a mitt on it, but not enough to stop the shot’s path into goal.

It remained tied at halftime and for a while thereafter, but Philadelphia broke through on a quick restart in the 57th minute. Westfield powered a cross from the right corner to the box and Vassilev’s left-footed one-timer hopped between Horvath and the near post.

The Union made the cushion more comfortable nine minutes later. Wagner hit a line-drive corner kick into a dangerous area and Pierre headed a powerful grounder under a helpless Horvath.

–Field Level Media

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Late Inter Miami strike ruins Robert Lewandowski's Fire debut

Jul 22, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Chicago Fire FC forward Robert Lewandowski (9) controls the ball against Inter Miami CF defender Facundo Mura (4) during the first half at Nu Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn ImagesJul 22, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Chicago Fire FC forward Robert Lewandowski (9) controls the ball against Inter Miami CF defender Facundo Mura (4) during the first half at Nu Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Preston Plambeck scored in his fourth career MLS appearance in the 87th minute to spoil Robert Lewandowski’s MLS debut and lift short-handed Inter Miami to a 3-2 victory over the visiting Chicago Fire on Wednesday night.

Luis Suarez scored his seventh and eighth goals of the season for Miami (10-4-2, 34 points), which was playing without Lionel Messi and Rodrigo de Paul. Both were granted leave from the club after helping Argentina reach Sunday’s World Cup final.

Puso Dithejane leveled for Chicago (8-5-2, 26 points) midway through the second half, after an error from Miami goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo gifted the Fire an early lead.

Lewandowski, the former Bayern Munich and FC Barcelona star, played 62 minutes in his first MLS match for Chicago after the 37-year-old’s signing became official in late June.

But it was the 20-year-old Plambeck who made the decisive play to extend the second-place Herons’ winning streak to five matches on a night they began six points behind Eastern Conference-leading Nashville.

As he did on his second goal, Suarez combined with German Berterame to work into the penalty area.

This time Chris Brady saved the initial attempt. But Plambeck contorted his body and was able to guide the airborne rebound over the line on his first touch.

Chicago went in front when Rios Novo whiffed on a routine backpass from Ian Fray, allowing the ball to cross the goal line in the 18th minute.

Suarez’s first goal came from the penalty spot nine minutes later. Brady guessed incorrectly, but it probably wouldn’t have mattered with Suarez’s right-footed strike kissing the inside of the left post.

The Uruguayan veteran’s second arrived in the 51st minute, finishing past Brady after a give-and-go with Berterame that included Berterame’s exquisite back-heeled return ball.

Dithejane responded in the 67th minute, five minutes after his insertion during a triple substitution that also saw Lewandowski exit. Following a deflection of a rebound off Maren Haile-Selassie, Dithejane turned his body and fired a first-time finish between the diving Rios Novo and the right post.

The Fire looked more likely to break the tie for most of the next 20 minutes, but were ultimately punished for allowing Suarez into the box one more time.

–Field Level Media

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