Jackson Chourio spoils strong Connor Prielipp start and Brewers top Twins 2-1

Bobby Nightengale, The Minnesota Star Tribune on May 16, 2026

Published in Baseball

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MINNEAPOLIS — On a Saturday night that could’ve been about how Connor Prielipp pitched well against the Milwaukee Brewers, his home state team growing up, it was instead about all the opportunities the Twins wasted in a 2-1 loss at Target Field.

Or maybe it was about Jackson Chourio, the 22-year-old Brewers phenom. Chourio clubbed a go-ahead homer off Prielipp in the sixth inning, depositing a first-pitch changeup into the Brewers bullpen beyond the center-field wall, then stole a run with a sliding catch in left field during the seventh inning.

The Twins, meanwhile, went hitless in eight at-bats with a runner in scoring position and left seven runners on base.

They had the bases loaded with one out in the second inning; they had two runners on with no outs in the fourth; and a runner on third with one out in the seventh. None of those scoring chances turned into a measly run.

The Twins dropped the first two games of their series against the Brewers, both one-run games, despite giving up a combined five runs. The loss spoiled a strong start from Prielipp, who owns a 2.88 ERA through 25 innings to start his major league career.

Prielipp grew up in Tomah, Wis., a small town that is about the halfway point on the drive on Interstate 94 between Minneapolis and Milwaukee. He grew up as a Brewers fan with Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder among his favorite players.

Facing the team he cheered as a kid, the 25-year-old left-hander gave up three hits and two runs (one earned) before an announced 33,115 fans, the largest Target Field crowd since the Twins’ home opener. There was a loud and proud contingent of Brewers fans, who chanted, “Let’s go Brewers!” before the first pitch of the game.

Prielipp completed six innings, matching the longest start of his professional career since he was drafted in 2022, and he struck out eight, another number that matched his highest total in any minor league outing.

After Trevor Larnach gave the Twins a 1-0 lead with a solo home run in the third inning, his second homer of the season, the Brewers scored an unearned run in the fourth. A single and a walk put two runners on base with one out. Luis Rengifo bounced into a potential double-play grounder, but the ball skipped under third baseman Royce Lewis’ glove as he charged forward. Brice Turang scored from second on the error.

Three pitches later, Prielipp induced another ground ball toward Lewis that was successfully turned for an inning-ending double play.

Prielipp, pitching into the sixth inning for the first time in his big-league career, surrendered a leadoff go-ahead homer to Chourio before striking out two of his final four batters. It was Chourio’s first home run of the season after he started the season on the injured list because of a broken hand suffered when he played for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic.

The Twins had a chance to tie the score in the seventh inning after James Outman hit a one-out triple to right field. Austin Martin followed with a fly ball to shallow left field, and Outman hopped between tagging at third base and taking a couple of steps toward the plate.

When Chourio secured the sliding grab, Outman had to retreat to third base and cost himself a chance to score on a would-be sacrifice fly. Brewers right-hander Chad Patrick ended the inning with a groundout, then retired the Twins in order in the eighth and ninth innings for a four-inning save.

The Twins scored one run in five innings against Brewers starter Logan Henderson, and they lamented all the chances they had to tack on more. Josh Bell and Kody Clemens opened the second inning with consecutive hits, putting two runners in scoring position with no outs. Two batters later, Tristan Gray drew a walk to load the bases.

Henderson left the bases loaded, striking out Outman and Martin.

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