MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jackson Chourio says his knack for coming through in clutch situations stems from one instance when he failed to deliver during his rookie year.
asserted
he → say → year
Just about every Milwaukee Brewers opponent has been paying for that ever since, as baseball’s best closer now knows.
asserted
closer → pay → that
Chourio hit a two-run single off hard-throwing Mason Miller with two outs in the ninth inning as the Brewers rallied past the San Diego Padres for the second straight day, a 4-3 victory Sunday for a 2-0 NL Division Series lead.
asserted
Brewers → hit → lead
“I think it’s probably in the top three of the special moments I’ve had in my career,” Chourio said through interpreter Daniel de Mondesert.
asserted
Chourio → think → Mondesert
The fact Chourio didn’t automatically rank it atop the list speaks volumes about all the memorable moments the 22-year-old already has produced in his first three seasons.
asserted
old → rank → seasons
Chourio said his drive to deliver in these moments intensified after he struck out against Andrés Muñoz, ending a loss to Seattle early in his rookie year.
asserted
he → say → year
“At that point, everything turned for me,” Chourio said.
asserted
Chourio → turn → me
“I told myself I was never going to make the last out.
asserted
I → tell → last
I’d dedicate myself to fighting and doing whatever I could for the team and not having that feeling again from that specific game.”
uncertain
I → dedicate → game
San Diego, which entered the postseason with 20 wins in its last 23 games, headed home for Game 3 of the best-of-five series on Tuesday following its first back-to-back losses since Sept. 1-2.
asserted
which → enter → Sept.
Milwaukee rallied from 2-0 deficits on consecutive days by beating the Padres’ bullpen.
asserted
Milwaukee → rally → bullpen
William Contreras hit a tiebreaking homer in the seventh inning against Adrian Morejon on Saturday.
asserted
Contreras → hit → Saturday
“It’s a big challenge,” Padres manager Craig Stammen said.
asserted
Stammen → ’ → ?
“They’re a great team.
asserted
They → ’re → ?
You saw how hard they battle us here in Milwaukee.
asserted
they → see → Milwaukee
But we like where we are when we play at home.”
asserted
we → like → home
Michael King retired his first 14 batters as the Padres went ahead 2-0, and they led 3-2 when Miller entered trying for his first six-out save since 2024.
asserted
Miller → retire → 2024
The two-time All-Star closer retired the side in order in the eighth.
asserted
closer → retire → eighth
After a leadoff groundout in the ninth, Miller issued his first career postseason walks to Christian Yelich and Sal Frelick.
asserted
Miller → issue → Yelich
Andrew Vaughn flied out and pinch hitter Gary Sánchez walked, taking six straight pitches.
asserted
Sánchez → flie → pitches
That brought Chourio to the plate, one day after he sparked a 4-3 comeback victory with a tying, two-run homer in the third inning.
asserted
he → bring → inning
“Watching those at-bats beforehand, I knew that he was a little bit erratic,” Chourio said.
asserted
Chourio → watch → bats
“He was throwing some balls.
asserted
He → throw → balls
I knew that he was going to come at me with the fastball at some point, so mentally I was just making sure that I was prepared for that.”
asserted
I → know → that
Chourio connected on a 2-2 pitch, lining a 101.3 mph fastball up the middle and past second baseman Jake Cronenworth’s attempt for a diving backhand stop.
asserted
Chourio → connect → stop
Cronenworth believed he was inches away from making the play.
asserted
he → believe → play
“He smashed it, but I thought I got a good jump on it,” Cronenworth said.
asserted
Cronenworth → smash → it
The ball bounced into center field as Yelich ran across the plate.
asserted
Yelich → bounce → plate
Frelick slid in head first, easily beating center fielder Jackson Merrill’s throw.
asserted
Frelick → slide → throw
Miller threw a season-high 40 pitches — his most since 2023 — but said after the game that didn’t impact him.
asserted
that → throw → him
He topped 100 mph with 18 pitches, the fastest a 103.5 mph offering that Chourio fouled.
asserted
Chourio → top → that
“I didn’t do my job today, so instead of being here with a win and a series tie, we’re in a hole,” Miller said.
asserted
Miller → do → hole
, Chourio became the second-youngest player with a postseason walk-off hit.
asserted
Chourio → become → hit
Edgar Renteria was 22 years old but younger than Chourio is today when he had two walk-off hits during the Florida Marlins’ run to the 1997 World Series title.
asserted
he → have → title
Chourio has hit .327 with a franchise-record five homers to go along with 15 RBIs in 14 career postseason games.
asserted
Chourio → hit → games
“He loves those moments,” Yelich said.
asserted
Yelich → love → moments
“And he knows how talented he is and what he can do on a baseball field.
asserted
he → know → field
He can do anything.”
asserted
He → do → anything
Chourio also made a key defensive play in the opener when Ty France hit a potential go-ahead homer in the ninth inning only for the ball to strike a cable on the roof of American Family Field and land in the left fielder’s glove at the warning track.
asserted
ball → make → track
With the roof open Sunday, France hit an RBI single in the first and another a run-scoring single for a 3-1 lead in the seventh after third baseman David Hamilton bobbled Fernando Tatis Jr.‘s grounder for an error.
asserted
Hamilton → hit → error
…and 5 more, not listed.
The Aporia
