TORONTO -- Jackson Chourio made sure to hit it out of reach in the ninth.
In his first game back from a month-long absence caused by a right hamstring strain, Chourio bookended his performance by launching a go-ahead home run to help the Brewers to a 4-1 win over the Blue Jays on Saturday at Rogers Centre. It was Milwaukee’s 21st victory in August, which ties a franchise record with one game to go this month.
Chourio wasn’t there for most of that run, but he was all over the Brewers’ series-clinching win.
“It was super special,” Chourio said in Spanish after the game. “I wanted to keep up this great moment that we’re living, and what better way to do it than by getting that hit today?”
He had tried to get it started way earlier.
Reinstated from the injured list before the game, Chourio looked like he had it on the first pitch he saw from Kevin Gausman in the top of the first, sending a fastball a Statcast-projected 407 feet to center field, only to be robbed by Myles Straw. But he made up for it in his final at-bat.
His solo homer off Blue Jays closer Jeff Hoffman in the ninth kickstarted a three-run sequence for the Brewers, including a home run by Christian Yelich on the very next pitch.
“Amazing day,” manager Pat Murphy said of Chourio’s performance. “It makes you realize what kind of talent the kid has.”
It was a long road back to health for Chourio, who had been sidelined since July 29, the first lengthy injury of his young career. There were valuable lessons in that painful month. Now he is gearing up to help the Brewers in a crucial final stretch before October.
“I’m someone who enjoys playing the game,” Chourio said. “I enjoy this game. And being sidelined, I think, got to me a little bit. It was hard to support the team while I wasn’t playing in games.”
Chourio, who was in high spirits from the moment he emerged from the dugout pregame, batted second and played center field in his return. That’s a huge boost for the lineup, which is still missing Joey Ortiz due to a left hamstring strain and gastrointestinal problems.
Just in his second big league season, Chourio has plenty of development ahead of him. Dealing with the uncertainty and frustration of an IL stint is certainly an important part of it.
“I think he’ll still think about it,” Murphy said on Friday. “He’s a young person that was trying to erase that feeling of being hurt. I think it’ll still be a mental challenge for him, but I think he’ll do it. I trust the kid.”
Chourio didn’t seem to be thinking about anything other than the game, though. In addition to his clutch homer (and his near homer), the 21-year-old hit a single in the third inning, picking up right where he’d left off before the injury.
The leg felt fine -- even better than expected -- according to Chourio. He wasn’t too discouraged by that robbery either.
“I've never had a homer robbed from me before,” said Chourio. “So I don't know. It was weird, because I said, 'Man, they just took that hit away from me.' But honestly, I felt good, because I knew I'd seen the ball well and I'd made good contact.”
That confidence led to more good at-bats, putting behind any doubts about Chourio’s form after his 1-for-19 rehab stint with Triple-A Nashville.
“It’s like asking Whitney Houston to a barbecue,” Murphy said on Friday. “She probably wouldn’t sound as good as if you asked her to come to the arena and sing in front of 50,000.”
In front of a sellout crowd of 41,424, Chourio sang.
The Brewers missed their young star but stayed true to their identity in his absence. Milwaukee posted a 21-9 record since July 29, including a 14-game win streak that lifted the club to the top of the big leagues.
It took everybody on that roster to get it done, but everyone on that roster is used to it. All Chourio could do was admire it from afar, and honor it when his turn arrived.
“It’s incredible,” said Chourio. “We have a great team. Each of us knows what we have to do and responds in the moment when they have to, which is so important. We have a very special group, I’ve always thought that. We’re doing an incredible job.”