The Milwaukee Brewers are one win away from a return trip to the NLCS, and for the second consecutive game, Jackson Chourio played the role of hero. In Game 1, Chourio hit a two-run home run to tie the game early, opening the door for a solo shot from William Contreras for a 3-2 victory over the San Diego Padres on Saturday night. But Sunday in Game 2, Chourio and they walked it off for the win, against one of the best closers in all of baseball.
The Padres seized a 3-2 advantage heading into the bottom of the eighth, prompting San Diego to summon closer Mason Miller for a two-inning effort intended to preserve the lead and level the series before a West Coast trip. Miller delivered a flawless eighth, recording two strikeouts and a fly-out, thereby sending the contest into the ninth.
That moment, however, found Miller in difficulty. He began the frame with a ground-out, then issued walks to Christian Yelich followed by Sal Frelick. A subsequent fly-out produced the second out, yet Miller later surrendered a walk to catcher Gary Sánchez, loading the bases and setting up Jackson Chourio’s at-bat.
Read Also: Fever fall to Aces in first-round series
Chourio fell behind 1-2 in the count, and after fouling a pitch he let a low, outside slider go for ball four, tying the count at 2-2. On the fifth delivery of the sequence, each registering over 100 mph on the radar, he connected with a 101-mph fastball down the middle, producing the decisive hit.
That middle-line single forced both Yelich and Frelick to swing, igniting chaos among fans and players as Milwaukee cleared the dugout and bullpen to honor the game’s savior. The matchup moves to San Diego for Game 3, with the Brewers requiring one additional victory to lock in an NLCS berth. Game 3 is scheduled for Tuesday, October 6, at 9:30 p.m. Eastern.