Brewers’ Young Stars Shine in Critical Playoff Victory

MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Brewers took a commanding 2-0 lead in the National League Division Series on Monday night, thanks to standout performances from two young players. Twenty-three-year-old right-hander Jacob Misiorowski dazzled on the mound, while twenty-one-year-old outfielder Jackson Chourio hit the fastest pitch for a postseason home run in the pitch tracking era.

Chourio launched a fastball clocked at 101.4 mph from Chicago Cubs reliever Adbert Alzolay for a three-run homer in the bottom of the fourth inning. This hit transformed a narrow one-run lead into a comfortable advantage for the Brewers. “He’s a star,” Brewers catcher William Contreras said of Chourio. “For me, I think he’s the best player that we have here.” Chourio had previously left Game 1 with an injury but showed no signs of it, making history in the process as the youngest player in MLB history to hit three home runs in his first five postseason games.

“I’ve been feeling good,” Chourio said through an interpreter. “My mission from the beginning was to go out there and give whatever my team needed. … I’m just looking for a good pitch to hit to bring home the runner from second. I was able to find one and push across three there.”

The Brewers’ offense thrived with another three-run homer from first baseman Rowdy Tellez in the bottom of the first inning, marking a powerful night for the team. Cubs manager Craig Counsell remarked, “Two three-run homers [in a] playoff game, any game, tough to overcome.”

Misiorowski kept the Cubs scoreless during crucial middle innings after right fielder Seiya Suzuki temporarily put Chicago ahead 3-0. The rookie pitcher threw eight of his first nine postseason pitches at 102 mph or faster, striking out four batters during his three innings on the mound. His excitement was palpable; after getting the final out in the third, he celebrated with the home crowd.

“I think I was so fired up, adrenaline pumping, didn’t really know where my feet were, but we landed, so it was fun,” Misiorowski said.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy praised Misiorowski, calling him a key player in the game. “This game was in a lot of different parts, but Miz stepped up. I’m enthralled that he wasn’t giving up free bases, kept his composure with runners on and that type of thing.”

Despite allowing a hit and two walks, Misiorowski’s performance limited the Cubs, who struggled with striking out throughout the series. In five playoff games, they have struck out 58 times, including 11 times in Game 2.

Catcher Willson Contreras noted, “It’s definitely hard whenever you have a young pitcher. He’s hard to do, but especially when he has that enthusiasm for the game and enthusiasm to go out there and pitch.”

The Brewers now sit on the brink of the NL Championship Series for the first time since 2018. They will send righty Corbin Burnes to the mound for Game 3 at Wrigley Field on Wednesday. The Cubs will counter with their veteran pitcher, Marcus Stroman, who has been in excellent form recently.

Misiorowski may be given a day off following his electric outing in Game 2, but his teammates have been impressed. “When he was warming up, I was talking to our infielders and I go, ‘He’s going to throw 104 right here,’ and he did,” said Brewers infielder Josh Donaldson.