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Jackson Chourio turns Cubs’ 17-run eruption into one-night illusion
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- Jackson Chourio turns Cubs’ 17-run eruption into one-night illusion
Jackson Chourio turns Cubs' 17-run eruption into one-night illusion originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The Chicago Cubs scored 17 runs against the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday. Two nights later, they were nine games behind them.
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Jackson Chourio collected four hits, including his 21st home run, as Milwaukee defeated Chicago 9-5 on Wednesday. The Brewers improved to 87-53, maintained the best record in Major League Baseball and won for the second consecutive night after their ugly series-opening loss.
That response explains more about Milwaukee than Monday's 17-3 result ever could.
Jackson Chourio showed why Milwaukee keeps recovering
Chourio did more than provide one dramatic swing. His four-hit performance created pressure throughout the game and helped Milwaukee overcome an unusually poor outing from Jacob Misiorowski. The Brewers ace allowed five earned runs in four innings, giving Chicago another opportunity to build momentum.
Milwaukee's lineup and bullpen refused to cooperate.
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Five relievers combined for five scoreless innings. Joey Ortiz delivered a two-run single, while Andrew Vaughn and William Contreras added run-scoring hits.
The Brewers eventually outhit Chicago 14-6. A division race can change quickly when the trailing team wins a direct matchup. The Cubs appeared capable of applying that pressure after scoring 17 runs in the opener.
MORE: Brewers deliver immediate answer after Cubs' 17-run statement
Milwaukee answered by winning twice and adding another game to its advantage. The Cubs now trail by nine with only 22 games remaining. Their postseason position remains important, but the possibility of catching Milwaukee has become remote.
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Chourio's performance carried additional meaning because of his age and role. The 22-year-old is no longer simply an exciting young player within a veteran contender.
He is one of the reasons the Brewers can absorb a poor start from their ace and an embarrassing loss without unraveling.
October will create different challenges. Milwaukee cannot expect its bullpen to erase every difficult starting performance, and the lineup will face stronger pitching in shorter series.
The response against Chicago still offered a useful preview. The Brewers were hit with the Cubs' best punch Monday. Chourio helped make sure it changed almost nothing by Wednesday.
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