Jacob Misiorowski didn’t need to live at 103 mph to win the night.
Against Chris Sale in a game that carried the feel of October, the Brewers right-hander worked more like a complete pitcher than a radar-gun headline. Misiorowski held the Braves to four hits over six scoreless innings Friday at American Family Field, trimming his Major League-leading ERA to 1.68 and helping Milwaukee escape with a 2-1 victory.
The win pushed the Brewers to a season-high 31 games over .500 and made them the first club in the majors to reach 80 victories.
This one had the shape of a classic duel from the start, with Misiorowski and Sale matching up in a night that lived up to the billing. The game didn’t produce an extra-base hit for either side until Michael Harris II finally broke through with a two-out double off Misiorowski in the sixth.
The gloves mattered almost as much as the arms.
In the fifth, Ronald Acuña Jr. erased a chance for Luis Lara with a sharp throw from the right-field corner, firing a 92.3 mph strike to the infield and cutting down what would have been a double. One inning later, Lara answered with a fearless, leaping grab of a Matt Olson drive at the angled section of the center-field wall, smashing into the padding while hanging onto the ball. That play helped save a run when Harris followed with his double.
Misiorowski still kept the damage from spreading. He got Ozzie Albies on a fly ball to right using a cutter, not his trademark four-seam fastball, and left after 96 pitches with Milwaukee ahead 2-0.
His hardest pitch of the night, 103.1 mph, was put in play for a single by Braves infielder Mauricio Dubón. Even so, Misiorowski’s six strikeouts extended his streak to 20 straight starts with at least that many punchouts.
He’s the first pitcher in Brewers history to do that, and it’s just the 18th such run in a single season since at least 1900. Zack Wheeler was the last to string together 20 consecutive starts with six or more strikeouts, doing it for the Phillies last season.
In Other News...
Brewers Teen Prospect Is Making Double-A Look Very Different
The Brewers Double-A affiliate keeps giving the organization another reason to pay attention to Biloxi, and the latest comes from one of its youngest regulars. After a recent move up from High-A Wisconsin, Pea delivered again with a solo home run and a two-hit night in Biloxis 4-2 win over Rocket City, adding to a stretch that has made the jump look remarkably smooth for a player still getting his footing at the level.
What makes Pea stand out is not just the production, but the context around it. He reached Double-A after earlier health setbacks this season, yet he has continued to hit well in a lineup already loaded with multiple top Brewers prospects, giving Biloxi a different kind of punch near the middle of the order. For Milwaukee, the encouraging part is obvious: a teenager adjusting quickly, holding his own, and looking anything but overmatched against older competition. [Read more 🡒]
Brewers Broadcast Crew Keeps Earning National Respect And Fans Will Debate It
Awful Announcings annual ranking of local MLB TV broadcast teams offered another reminder that the Brewers booth has built a national following beyond Milwaukee. Based on votes from more than 9,300 respondents, the crew finished ninth for the second straight year with a score of 2.60, a spot that keeps it in the upper tier of baseball broadcasts and gives fans plenty to argue about whenever these rankings come out.
The top of the list went to San Diego, whose booth earned a 3.07, but the Brewers placement still speaks to the staying power of a group that has become a regular presence in these conversations. There were also other teams with Wisconsin connections mentioned in the rankings, a small extra note for local fans who like to track how the states baseball voices stack up against the rest of the sport. [Read more 🡒]
Brewers Fan Favorite Just Floated A Wild October Idea
The Brewers are already in an enviable spot, sitting atop Major League Baseballs standings as they turn toward a key series against the Braves, but the conversation around Milwaukee keeps stretching beyond the next opponent. Former outfielder and longtime fan favorite Nyjer Morgan added to that buzz after a big Brewers win, using an appearance on ESPN Milwaukees "Kyle & Brust" show to voice confidence in a club he believes can chase its first championship.
Morgan also floated a more surprising October wrinkle, one that would push the Brewers roster conversation into prospect territory at exactly the time contenders usually get cautious. His idea centered on top prospect Jesus Made, a suggestion that speaks to how wide open Milwaukees path feels right now and how much attention the organization is drawing as the postseason approaches. [Read more 🡒]