Jackson Chourio hit a double to bring in a run, his first extra-base hit in his career, and helped Collin Rea escape a tough situation with the bases loaded as the Milwaukee Brewers defeated the winless New York Mets 4-1 on Sunday.
Brewers’ slugger Rhys Hoskins didn’t get any hits in four attempts at bat, one day after Mets’ pitcher Yohan Ramirez intentionally threw at him. Ramirez, who is appealing a three-game suspension, struck out Hoskins with the bases loaded in the fifth inning.
This is the first time since 2014 that the New York Mets have started the season with three consecutive losses. “Guys are doing their job,” New York shortstop Francisco Lindor said. “It’s just they played better than us in a way. So hats off to them. I just wish we would have come out with at least one.”
Willy Adames and rookie Oliver Dunn each hit a single that brought in a run as Milwaukee started the season with three wins for the first time since 2018. William Contreras added a double that brought in another run, and Brice Turang scored twice to help Milwaukee complete its second sweep in New York and first since 2011.
Former Brewer Tyrone Taylor hit a single that brought in a run for the Mets, who played without their new manager Carlos Mendoza due to a one-game suspension for Saturday’s incident with Ramirez and Hoskins. Rea (1-0) limited the Mets to one run and five hits in five innings. He pitched with men on base in each inning except the third.
New York loaded the bases in the fourth inning when Rea walked Taylor after a 12-pitch plate appearance. But Omar Narváez swung at a 2-0 pitch and hit a fly ball to right field that Chourio caught at the warning track.
“He’s fun to watch,” Rea said. “He’s got all the tools. He takes good at-bats and gets good reads in the outfield, makes athletic plays.” Chourio also made a sliding catch to rob Pete Alonso of a hit. His catch came after his double off Tylor Megill (0-1) went over right fielder Starling Marte’s head and put Milwaukee ahead 2-0 in the second inning.
“He’s been great,” Adames said. “He knows he’s going to step up to the next level and he knows he has to just do his job and just not try to do too much and be himself.”
Chourio also made another running catch in the seventh inning and had an infield hit in the eighth inning. Chourio, who turned 20 on March 11, went 5 for 12 in his first career series.
“Chourio stepped up big time,” first-year Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy said. “We didn’t know what you were going to get for sure. Quite frankly his spring training at times was very impressive, but I think we learned something this weekend. The lights went on, and a different kid showed up.”
Megill allowed two runs — one earned — and three hits in four innings. The right-hander felt some pain in his shoulder and will undergo an MRI.
He allowed Adames’ run-scoring hit after Christian Yelich reached on catcher interference by Narváez in the first inning. Bryan Hudson pitched three innings for Milwaukee, and Joel Payamps tossed a 1-2-3 ninth for his fourth career save.
