The second game of each National League Division Series played out, with an off day for the American League teams. The Milwaukee Brewers and Atlanta Braves came out the victors. The Brewers take a 2-0 lead into San Diego and the Braves even up the series heading back to Atlanta.
Here is the main takeaway from each game.
Jackson Chourio Born for Big Moments
Chourio told David Gasper back in September that he was just born for those big moments. The 22-year-old delivered another one to give the Brewers total control of their series against the Padres.
The circumstances surrounding Chourio’s walk-off moment couldn’t have been scripted any better. The Brewers brought in Nyjer Morgan, who had the franchise’s first walk-off hit to close out the 2011 NLDS, to throw out the game’s ceremonial first pitch. Also, his family was in town for the game.
With the game, and control of the series, on the line, Chourio delivered his best at-bat as a Brewer. He fell behind Mason Miller, the best closer in baseball, 1-2 after getting two fastballs blown by him.
But he battled back to foul off a 104 MPH pitch on the low-outside corner, then took Miller’s signature slider that would have finished off many hitters. He got another fastball out over the plate and smoked a 109 MPH line drive past Padres second baseman Jake Cronenworth.
The hit scored Christian Yelich from third, then Sal Frelick’s terrific baserunning allowed him to sneak past Jackson Merrill’s throw home to score the winning run.
No Sale? No Problem for Braves
With the Braves losing Game 1, there was pressure to start Chris Sale on four days’ rest. However, Atlanta elected to go with a bullpen game and started Ray Kerr. Walt Weiss’ gamble paid off, as the Braves won their bullpen game, 3-2, at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium to even up the series at one game apiece.
Kerr stole the show with 2.2 scoreless innings. Atlanta’s bullpen held up for this one, limiting the Dodgers to just two solo home runs for the game.
The Braves used small ball and capitalized on the Dodgers’ mistakes to score their first two runs. Mauricio Dubón legged out a ground ball up the middle to score the game’s first run.
Afterward, it was the Michael Harris II show. Harris tripled and scored the go-ahead run in the fifth on a wild pitch. He later added a valuable insurance run in the seventh, doubling off the wall in right center to score Matt Olson. Olson was running on the pitch, so he scored easily.
Didier Fuentes played the role of unsung hero in the bullpen once again. The 21-year-old finished one out shy of a 12-out save, settling for an 11-out hold. His last pitch left the yard, but his impact was felt in the game with a +0.30 WPA. Closer Raisel Iglesias retired pinch-hitter Josue De Paula to secure the one-out save.
Now Atlanta has Sale ready to go for a pivotal Game 3 at home. The Cy Young finalist has a chance to put the Braves in the driver’s seat as they head back home to Truist Park.
History is on the Braves side for winning the series. MLB’s Sarah Langs notes that teams that split Games 1 and 2 on the road went on to win the series 30 of 49 times.
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