On a Mother's Day filled with raw emotion, Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Blake Perkins delivered a performance that would have made his mom proud. Playing on this special day for the first time since his mother, Carisa Sharrett, passed away from colon cancer last July at age 54, Perkins shook off a season-long slump to deliver the biggest hit of the afternoon.
With the Brewers trailing early, Perkins stepped to the plate in the fourth inning and laced a two-run single—Milwaukee's first hit of the day—sparking a 4-3 victory that completed the team's first three-game sweep of the New York Yankees since 1989. For a player who entered Sunday hitting just .109, it was a moment of pure redemption.
"It's been a lot of emotions for me today—mostly joy in just getting to play for my mom," Perkins said after the game. "I have so many friends and family members back home supporting me. It was good. It was a lot of joy."
The 29-year-old outfielder admitted the pregame Mother's Day ceremonies brought his emotions to the surface, but once the first pitch was thrown, he locked in. "I'm not saying it was bad emotions. It's the first year I've celebrated this holiday without her. I felt her here with me, and obviously I have all the guys here who had my back. It was a good day—a good Brewers win."
Perkins' journey to this moment has been anything but smooth. A Gold Glove finalist in 2024 and a key part of Milwaukee's NL Central championship teams the last three seasons, he didn't even make the season-opening roster. He was called up only after an injury to Jackson Chourio, then struggled enough to get sent back to the minors just a week ago. He was recalled Saturday after Brandon Lockridge landed on the IL.
But on this Mother's Day, none of that mattered. Brewers manager Pat Murphy noted how Perkins' teammates have been rallying around him during this tough stretch. Equipment manager Jason Shawger had already preserved the ball from Perkins' big hit in a display case, sitting in his locker as he spoke to the media—a fitting tribute to a player who honored his mother in the best way possible: by coming through when it mattered most.
For fans and athletes alike, this game was a powerful reminder that sometimes the greatest performances come from the deepest emotions—and that a well-worn jersey can carry more than just a player's name.