Down to their final strike, trailing 3-2 in the ninth inning on Sunday, the Brewers pulled off a stunning come-from-behind win, with Jackson Chourio delivering a walk-off single that sent American Family Field into pandemonium. That unbelievable 4-3 victory wasn’t just another game, folks, it pushed Milwaukee to a commanding 2-0 lead in this best-of-five National League Division Series. It truly felt like a moment San Diego had been dreading, but the Brewers? They absolutely knew this moment was coming, and they were ready for all the drama.
Miller’s Marathon Effort Was The Padres’ Risky Bet
Padres manager Craig Stammen clearly decided it was time to unleash his ace weapon, closer Mason Miller, in the eighth inning of Game 2. He wanted Miller to lock down the final six outs and snag San Diego their first win of the NLDS, a huge ask. Miller, the guy who’s arguably the best closer in baseball right now, had only pitched two innings twice all season, with his most recent long stint back on September 4. He came out firing, though, absolutely mowing down the heart of Milwaukee’s order in the eighth. We’re talking 102 mph fastballs, a clean 1-2-3 inning against Turang, Jake Bauers, and William Contreras. The Padres’ usual formula of Michael King starting and an exceptional bullpen finishing had been solid all year, but man, it really started to falter when it counted most in this series.
Chourio’s Clutch Bat Breaks Miller’s Command
Things got real tricky for Miller in the ninth. After allowing back-to-back walks to Christian Yelich and Sal Frelick with one out, Miller was fast approaching 30 pitches. The Padres tried to calm him down with a shrewd mound visit, and it worked for a sec when Miller got Andrew Vaughn to fly out for the second out. But then, he lost it again, walking pinch-hitter Gary Sanchez. Bases loaded. Two outs. Enter Jackson Chourio, who’d had only one hit all night. It was the dream matchup everyone was waiting for. Miller threw his fastest pitch of the at-bat, a 104 mph fastball that Chourio just barely got a piece of. Miller probably didn’t expect Chourio to be ready for that kind of heat. Chourio then patiently laid off a low slider before connecting on a 101 mph four-seamer. He absolutely ripped it into center field, a 109.5 mph base hit off the bat, scoring Yelich and Frelick, and walking off the game for the Brewers. Chourio, who also tied Game 1 with a two-run homer, just thrives in these pressure cooker moments. The Padres, frankly, are reeling after this devastating start to the series.
The Brewers are now just one win away from punching their ticket to the National League Championship Series. San Diego has to regroup fast, because Game 3 is coming, and their backs are against the wall in a serious way. Can the Padres turn it around, or will Milwaukee close it out and keep this incredible run going? You gotta watch to find out, because this series is wild!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
Leave a Reply