Brewers' Chourio hits 3-run homer in Game 2 of NLDS after hurting his hamstring in series opener

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio had a simple solution for making sure he didn't aggravate his hamstring injury Monday night.

Trotting around the bases after a home run doesn't require much exertion.

Chourio returned to the lineup and hit a three-run homer to help Milwaukee beat the Chicago Cubs 7-3 in Game 2 of their NL Division Series after tightness in his right hamstring caused him to exit the opener.

The 21-year-old phenom has three homers in five career postseason games. He has gone 5 for 7 with six RBIs to help the Brewers take a 2-0 lead in this best-of-five series after going 5 of 11 at the plate last year in a Wild Card Series loss to the New York Mets.

“I really just like playing in these moments,” Chourio said through an interpreter. “I think you could say it helps me play at the maximum level that I’m able to do so. And thanks to God that I’ve had the ability to play in these moments that are important and meaningful, and get some of these big hits whenever they’re needed, but also do some of the little things whenever they’re needed.”

Chourio hurt his right hamstring while running to first base on an infield single in the second inning Saturday. He had missed a month of the regular season after straining the same hamstring this summer.

After undergoing a postgame MRI and doing some light running in Sunday's workout, Chourio was back in the leadoff spot and playing left field Monday night.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy acknowledged before the game that he was sure Chourio wasn't feeling 100%, but the outfielder showed no signs of discomfort. The game started with Chicago's Justin Turner hitting a flyball in his direction. He also chased down a flyball in foul territory in the fourth.

“I feel like I’m in a really good position to go out there and compete, so I’m going to go out there and give it the best that I can,” Chourio said. “I felt like I was able to do that today and go out there and make all the plays I needed to make and continue to play the game pretty normal.”

His production at the plate in his brief postseason career has been anything but normal.

Chourio hit two homers in the Brewers' Game 2 victory over the Mets in last year's Wild Card Series. He went 3 for 3 with three RBIs in Milwaukee’s 9-3 Game 1 victory Saturday, becoming the first player ever to have three hits in the first two innings of a playoff game.

In the fourth inning of Monday's game, Chourio connected on an 0-2 pitch from Daniel Palencia and sent a 419-foot shot over the center-field wall. His three-run homer produced the game's final three runs.

“Unbelievable," Murphy said. “He’s 21 years old and doing the things he’s doing in the first couple games here, in the environment, just know that’s special. That’s special. We all wish we could have that — have that it factor the way Jack-Jack does.”

Chourio followed that up with an infield single in the sixth inning that improved his career postseason batting average to .556.

“He’s a star,” teamate William Contreras said through an interpreter. “For me, I think he’s the best player that we have here, but I like the way that we go about it. No one feels like they’re better than the other, and everyone is here focused on doing their job. He’s got an incredible future ahead of him and an incredible talent with what he does out on the field, and I love watching him go out there from the very first pitch and give it everything he has.”

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Milwaukee Brewers' Jackson Chourio (11) hits a 3-run home run during the fourth inning of Game 2 of baseball's National League Division Series against the Chicago Cubs Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Milwaukee Brewers' Jackson Chourio (11) watches his 3-run home run during the fourth inning of Game 2 of baseball's National League Division Series against the Chicago Cubs Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)

Milwaukee Brewers' Jackson Chourio (11) celebrates while running the bases after hitting a 3-run home run during the fourth inning of Game 2 of baseball's National League Division Series against the Chicago Cubs Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)

Milwaukee Brewers' Jackson Chourio (11) reacts to leaving the game with an injury during the second inning in Game 1 of baseball's National League Division Series game against the Chicago Cubs on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)

Milwaukee Brewers' Jackson Chourio hits an RBI single during the second inning of Game 1 of baseball's National League Division Series against the Chicago Cubs Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Milwaukee Brewers' Jackson Chourio (11) reacts to hitting a double as Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner (2) looks on during the first inning in Game 1 of baseball's National League Division Series game Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)

SURIN, Thailand (AP) — Fighting continued to rage Saturday morning along the border of Thailand and Cambodia, even after U.S. President Donald Trump, acting as a mediator, declared that he had won agreement from both countries for a ceasefire.

Thai officials have said they did not agree to a ceasefire, and Cambodia has not commented on Trump’s claim. Its defense ministry instead said Thai jets carried out airstrikes Saturday morning. Cambodian media reported Trump’s claim without elaborating.

The latest large-scale fighting was set off by a skirmish on Dec. 7 that wounded two Thai soldiers and derailed a ceasefire promoted by Trump that ended five days of earlier combat in July over longstanding territorial disputes.

The July ceasefire was brokered by Malaysia and pushed through by pressure from Trump, who threatened to withhold trade privileges unless Thailand and Cambodia agreed. It was formalized in more detail in October at a regional meeting in Malaysia that Trump attended.

About two dozen people have officially been reported killed in this past week’s fighting, while hundreds of thousands have been displaced on both sides of the border.

The Thai military acknowledges 11 of its troops have been killed, while estimating there have been 165 fatalities among Cambodian soldiers. Cambodia has not announced military casualties, but has said at least 11 civilians have been killed and 76 wounded.

Trump on Friday, after speaking to Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, had announced an agreement to restart the ceasefire.

“They have agreed to CEASE all shooting effective this evening, and go back to the original Peace Accord made with me, and them, with the help of the Great Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim,” Trump said in his Truth Social post.

Trump’s claim came after midnight in Bangkok. Thai Prime Minister Anutin had after his call with Trump said he had explained Thailand’s reasons for fighting and said peace would depend on Cambodia ceasing its attacks first. The Thai foreign ministry later explicitly disputed Trump’s claim that a ceasefire had been reached. Anutin's busy day on Friday including dissolving Parliament so new elections could be held early next year.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, in comments posted early Saturday morning, also made no mention of a ceasefire.

He said he held phone conversations on Friday night with Trump, and a night earlier with Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, and thanked both “for their continuous efforts to achieve a long-lasting peace between Cambodia and Thailand.”

“Cambodia is ready to cooperate in any way that is needed,' Hun Manet wrote.

Thailand has been carrying out airstrikes on what it says are strictly military targets, while Cambodia has been firing thousands of medium-range BM-21 rockets that have caused havoc but relatively few casualties.

BM-21 rocket launchers can fire up to 40 rockets at a time with a range of 30-40 kilometers (19-25 miles). These rockets cannot be precisely targeted and have landed largely in areas from where most people have already been evacuated.

However, the Thai army announced Saturday that BM-21 rockets had hit a civilian area in Sisaket province, seriously injuring two civilians who had heard warning sirens and had been running toward a bunker for safety.

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Peck reported from Bangkok. Sopheng Cheang in Serei Saophoan, Cambodia, and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.

An evacuee tastes soup as she takes refuge in Banteay Menchey provincial town, Cambodia, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, after fleeing from home following fighting between Thailand and Cambodia. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Evacuees cook food as they take refuge in Banteay Menchey provincial town, Cambodia, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, after fleeing homes following fighting between Thailand and Cambodia. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Children raise their hands while receiving donation from charity as they take refuge in Banteay Menchey provincial town, Cambodia, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, after fleeing homes following fighting between Thailand and Cambodia. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Evacuees wait to receive donation from local charity as they take refuge in Banteay Menchey provincial town, Cambodia, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, after fleeing homes following fighting between Thailand and Cambodia. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Village security volunteers and resident run into shelter while the blasts sounded too close in Buriram province, Thailand, Friday, Dec. 12, 2025, following renewed border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)