MILWAUKEE – Jackson Chourio singled in two runs with the bases loaded with two outs in the ninth inning to give the Milwaukee Brewers a 4-3 walkoff victory over the visiting San Diego Padres on Sunday and a 2-0 lead in the National League Division Series.
The Brewers, with homefield advantage throughout the playoffs after winning 103 games, trailed 3-2 entering the ninth against Padres closer Mason Miller, trying for a six-out save.
Christian Yelich and Sal Frelick drew consecutive one-out walks. Pinch-hitter Gary Sanchez walked with two outs and Chourio followed with a two-run single to center off a 101-mph fastball from Miller, who had 38 saves in the regular season and one in the wild card sweep of the Cubs.
The Brewers were stymied early by Padres starter Michael King, who allowed one run on three hits, departing after hitting Chourio with a pitch to open the sixth inning.
King retired the first 14 hitters before Yelich’s two-out double to right in the fifth inning. Frelick’s RBI single pulled Milwaukee within 2-1.
San Diego capitalized on the Brewers third error for an unearned run in the seventh off Abner Uribe to go in front 3-1. Fernando Tatis Jr. reached on an error and Manny Machado drew a two-out walk. Ty France followed with an RBI single but the inning ended with Machado being thrown out trying to advance to third.
The Brewers got an unearned run back in the bottom half when Garrett Mitchell singled, advanced to third on a walk and fielder’s choice, and scored on an error by second baseman Jake Cronenworth.
Brewers starter Logan Henderson allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits in five-plus innings.
San Diego scored one in the first after Henderson was within one pitch of a perfect inning. Machado drew a two-out walk after being behind 0-2, and advanced on a wild pitch. France followed with an RBI single to center.
The Padres increased the lead to 2-0 with an unearned run in the fifth. Luis Campusano singled to open, advanced to third on an error, and scored on a fielder’s choice grounder.
The series shifts to San Diego for the next two games, if necessary. Right-hander Dustin May is scheduled to start for the Brewers in Game 3 on Tuesday, opposed by right-hander Nick Pivetta. The Padres swept the Brewers in a three-game series at home in August.
–Jim Hoehn, Field Level Media
