Chourio, Contreras power Brewers past Padres

Before scoring the go-ahead run on a wild pitch, Harris tripled on a fly to left off Kris Bubic in the fifth. A good left fielder likely would have caught the ball and a competent one at least should have held him to a double, but Teoscar Hernández did neither of those things. Harris then gave the Braves an insurance run with his double in the seventh. He deserved some grief against the Phillies for not running out a grounder, leading to a 3-2-3 double play, but he’s been great otherwise in going 8-for-20 with a homer and four RBI in five games. The Braves will get to return to Atlanta ahead of what should be a delightful game with Chris Sale and Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the mound for Tuesday’s Game 3.

Fuentes nearly matched Grant Taylor’s effort against the Guardians on Saturday, only again a much better offense and without the help of any shadows. Alas, one out away from finishing the game, he gave up a homer to Max Muncy to narrow Atlanta’s lead to 3-2. The Braves then turned to Raisel Iglesias, whose got Josue De Paula to pop out for a one-out save. Fuentes threw 47 pitches tonight on two days’ rest after pitching in three straight games against the Phillies, though those were at least shorter outings (46 pitches in all). We’d love to tout him as a breakthrough starter in 2027, but if the Braves keep advancing in the postseason, one wonders how he’ll hold up. The Braves almost surely have to give him Game 3 off after this.

It wasn’t any fun to watch, but Snell did keep the Dodgers in it until the ball was taken from him. He struck out five, and none of the five batters he walked came around to score, though a couple did help to advance the one runner that scored in the first. He’ll likely be available in relief of Tarik Skubal in Game 5 if needed.

Even if nothing much else went right for the Dodgers tonight, it was encouraging to see Freeman jump on a Grant Holmes pitch for his first homer since Sept. 2. It was his 17th career postseason homer, tying him for 17th most all-time.

Chourio won a thrilling six-pitch at-bat with two outs and the bases loaded, fouling off a 104-mph fastball with two strikes that would have retired most batters and then laying off a low slider before crushing a liner on a 101-mph fastball to end it. It was the Brewers’ first hit against Miller after Christian Yelich, Sal Frelick and Gary Sánchez all worked walks. Chourio also homered Saturday, and he has driven in four of the Brewers’ seven runs in the series. Before the incredible ending, it was an oddly sloppy game, with the teams combining for five errors that led to three unearned runs, Dustin May and Nick Pivetta are expected to start Tuesday when the series resumes in San Diego.

Henderson allowed a run on a two-out walk, a wild pitch and a single in the first and then one more in the fifth after a Brice Turang error. He walked three, which is unusual, but he definitely gave the Brewers what they were looking for in his postseason debut. He should be available behind Jacob Misiorowski in a potential Game 5.

Oddly enough, both King and Logan Henderson were pulled after hitting the leadoff batter in the bottom of the sixth today. King had a 2-1 lead at that point, and Yuki Matsui came in and retired three in a row to strand the runner. King has allowed one run and four hits through 12 innings so far this postseason. He’ll almost certainly get the nod again in Game 5 if the NLDS goes the distance.

The Padres were asking for the second two-inning save of Miller’s career; the other came in Aug. 2024 while he was with the A’s. He retired the first four batters he faced, but he then walked the bases loaded in the ninth before giving up Jackson Chourio’s game-winning hit. The runs were the first he’s allowed in four career postseason appearances. It’s his fourth blown save in 43 chances this year. He also ended up throwing 40 pitches, which could mean he’ll be limited to one inning and perhaps not be at his best when play resumes Tuesday.

France was nearly the hero of Game 1, hitting the roof-scraping non-homer against Trevor Megill in the ninth. He did nothing quite so dramatic today, but he came through with the team’s only hits in nine at-bats with runners in scoring position. It seemed like that would be enough until the Brewers’ stunning rally off Mason Miller.

Even without the relief appearance on Thursday, Sale would have been starting on four days’ rest had he pitched in Game 2, and he hadn’t done that since way back on Apr. 6, when he allowed six runs in four innings against the Angels. Sale starting in Game 3 and potentially coming out of the pen in Game 5 might always have been the best plan for Atlanta.