The Milwaukee Brewers are one win from the National League Championship Series after 22-year-old Jackson Chourio lined a 101.3 mph fastball through the middle with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to beat the San Diego Padres 4-3 on Sunday and take a 2-0 lead in the National League Division Series.
Chourio's game-winning single capped a remarkable at-bat against Padres closer Mason Miller, described as baseball's most overpowering reliever. Miller opened the at-bat with 100, 102 and 104 mph fastballs for strikes, then threw a hanging slider low in the zone that Chourio remarkably laid off to stay alive. With the count 2-2, Miller went back to the heat, and Chourio drove the 101.3 mph offering up the middle to score Christian Yelich and Sal Frelick.
Against overwhelming odds
The Padres had entered the ninth inning with a 3-2 lead and a 98 percent win probability, handing the ball to a pitcher who had spent October turning opposing hitters into strikeout statistics. Miller had retired Milwaukee in order in the eighth, recording 12 strikeouts among his first 15 batters faced this postseason — an MLB record.
Brewers in control
The walk-off, a day after Milwaukee's 3-2 win in Game 1 at American Family Field, puts the Brewers up 2-0 in the best-of-five series. What was less a rally than a jailbreak leaves San Diego facing elimination and Milwaukee one victory away from advancing to the NL Championship Series.
Sources:
How 22-year-old Jackson Chourio beat baseball's most overpowering closer — New York Post
Chourio's game-winning single capped a remarkable at-bat against Padres closer Mason Miller, described as baseball's most overpowering reliever. Miller opened the at-bat with 100, 102 and 104 mph fastballs for strikes, then threw a hanging slider low in the zone that Chourio remarkably laid off to stay alive. With the count 2-2, Miller went back to the heat, and Chourio drove the 101.3 mph offering up the middle to score Christian Yelich and Sal Frelick.
Against overwhelming odds
The Padres had entered the ninth inning with a 3-2 lead and a 98 percent win probability, handing the ball to a pitcher who had spent October turning opposing hitters into strikeout statistics. Miller had retired Milwaukee in order in the eighth, recording 12 strikeouts among his first 15 batters faced this postseason — an MLB record.
Brewers in control
The walk-off, a day after Milwaukee's 3-2 win in Game 1 at American Family Field, puts the Brewers up 2-0 in the best-of-five series. What was less a rally than a jailbreak leaves San Diego facing elimination and Milwaukee one victory away from advancing to the NL Championship Series.
Sources:
How 22-year-old Jackson Chourio beat baseball's most overpowering closer — New York Post
