How a 22-year-old Jackson Chourio beat baseballs most overpowering closer with the Brewers down to their last strike
Mason Miller threw Jackson Chourio a 100 mph fastball to begin the biggest at-bat of the Milwaukee Brewers season.Then he threw him a 102 mph and a 104 mph fastball for strikes.As Miller continued to throw gas up in the zone, Chourio did his best to battle them off knowing that the San Diego Padres closer was baiting him and soon going to throw a slider.
On the fifth pitch he did.A hanging slider that was low in the zone.
Chourio remarkably laid off it to stay alive.With the count 2-2, Miller threw another 101 mph fastball up in the zone.
This time Chourio was ready and he beat the best closer in baseball.Milwaukee’s 22-year-old star lined Miller’s 101.3 mph fastball through the middle with two outs in the bottom of the ninth Sunday, scoring Christian Yelich and Sal Frelick for a stunning 4-3 walk-off victory over the Padres in Game 2 of the NLDS.
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By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.Never miss a story It was less a rally than it was a jailbreak.The Padres entered the ninth with a 3-2 lead and a 98% win probability, handing the baseball to a pitcher who had spent October turning opposing hitters into strikeout statistics.
Miller retired Milwaukee in order in the eighth, giving him 12 strikeouts among his first 15 batters faced this postseason — an MLB record.After Miller retired the first batter of the ninth, Yelich walked and stole second.Frelick walked.
Andrew Vaughn flied out, bringing San Diego within one out of escaping Milwaukee with a split.Instead, Gary Sánchez worked a full-count walk to load the bases.Up came Chourio.Miller attacked him with the kind of velocity that has made October at American Family Field resemble a drag strip.His fastball registered 104 mph.
Chourio eventually fell behind with two strikes but refused to become another name on Miller’s grow...