Denied on the basepaths, Garrett Mitchell came through with the bat instead. The Brewers' center fielder capped his first career four-hit game Wednesday with a go-ahead triple in the seventh inning that sent his club to a 4-2 win over the Reds at American Family Field. In hindsight, he missed hitting for the cycle by mere inches when the second of his two doubles struck high off the center-field wall in the fifth. Did that sting a little? "No," Mitchell said. "There will be plenty more opportunities. Keep playing baseball games. Keep stacking 'em." Staying healthy is the key for the 2020 first-round Draft pick, who can flash all five tools on nights like Wednesday, when reliever Aaron Ashby picked up victory No. 12 to remain Major League Baseball’s surprise wins leader, while Abner Uribe pitched through illness in a scoreless eighth and Trevor Megill logged his 12th save as Milwaukee (53-31) moved a season-high 22 games over .500 by extending its recent domination over a division foe. Including the first three games of this series and six games over the past week and a half, the Brewers have won 51 of the last 70 matchups against the Reds. For Mitchell, the most important number was 74, as in his 74th game played this season. That’s five more and counting than his previous single-season high in a pro career that has been interrupted over and over by fluke injuries. A Type 1 diabetic who successfully managed the condition to become a star at UCLA, Mitchell was sidelined nearly two months by a left knee injury in ‘21. In ‘22, it was a left oblique issue. In ‘23, he missed most of the year following left shoulder surgery. In ‘24, Mitchell fractured his left index finger during the final week of Spring Training and he didn’t debut until July 1. In ‘25, he fractured his left shoulder socket and re-tore his labrum. “Take any other player in baseball that’s been missing for four years. To have him play this way, and particularly tonight with the four at-bats, the baserunning, the whole thing. I didn’t think it could happen,” manager Pat Murphy said. “I didn’t expect anything close to this for this kid. I’m really happy for him. He’s playing every day. He’s hitting against lefties tonight. He’s just gotten better and better.”
