Chourio's four-hit performance helps Brewers take 3-0 series lead

The Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 10-1 in Game 3 on Monday night in St. Petersburg. The victory gives Milwaukee a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven World Series. A win in Game 4 would make the Brewers the first team in Major League Baseball history to sweep both the National League Championship Series and the World Series.

Jackson Chourio, an outfielder for the Brewers, was the primary offensive force in the game. He recorded four hits in the first five innings of play. His at-bats included a leadoff single, two additional singles, and a double in the fifth inning. Through the first eight innings, the Rays had recorded only one team hit. Milwaukee finished with 16 hits and 10 runs, while Tampa Bay managed one run and three hits.

Chourio finished the game with two runs scored and one run batted in. At age 22, he became the youngest player with a four-hit World Series game since Joe Garagiola in 1946. The gap between the two performances is 80 years. His double in the fifth inning was hit at 99 mph, which is considered a soft contact in professional baseball. Balls hit over 95 mph are generally classified as hard-hit.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy credited Chourio's discipline for the team's success. "Nobody's surprised that Jack Jack's doing this," Murphy said. He added that Chourio is "understanding what it takes, the discipline that it takes." Murphy also noted the player's defensive contributions, including a stolen base in Game 3 and a throwout at home plate in Game 2. Murphy compared the 22-year-old's work ethic to that of Kobe Bryant, stating Chourio is "on that same track."

Chourio is batting .571 in the World Series, going 8 for 14. He has three stolen bases in the series and two home runs in the postseason. For the regular season, Chourio played in 127 games due to an injury. He recorded 4.9 Wins Above Replacement and posted a 20-home run, 20-steal season. He has achieved that statistical mark in three of his four major league seasons.

The Brewers are 7-0 across their two postseason rounds. The only previous team to sweep both the NLCS and the World Series was the 1976 Cincinnati Reds, though that team played a five-game NLCS. The Rays' most productive offensive moment came in Game 2, when they scored four runs in the first inning before losing 5-4. They have not scored since that first inning, aside from a single run in the ninth inning of Game 3.

Chourio is under contract with Milwaukee through the 2031 season, with two club options that extend his tenure to 2033. The team also received strong pitching from starter Robert Gasser in Game 3. Veteran outfielder Jake Bauers also contributed to the bullpen. Game 4 is scheduled next, where a Brewers win would end the series.