CHICAGO – Jacob Misiorowski didn’t have his truly high-octane velocity against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday night, May 19.
But what he did have was still way better than most any other starting pitcher can offer, and plenty good enough to lay the framework for a 5-2 Milwaukee Brewers victory at Wrigley Field.
Misiorowski topped out at only 101.3 mph with his fastball and extended his scoreless innings streak to 24 ⅓ but was pulled after throwing only six innings and 74 pitches by manager Pat Murphy.
BOX SCORE: Brewers 5, Cubs 2
He was staked to an early 3-0 lead only for Milwaukee’s offense to go quiet through the heart of the game before Brice Turang provided some breathing room with a big two-out, two-run home run in the top of the eighth.
With its 10th victory in 12 games, Milwaukee improved to 28-18 on the season, moved into first place in the Central Division and clinched a series victory against Chicago.
Things get a little dicey in the eighth
Aaron Ashby entered in the bottom of the eighth and things spiraled quickly as Pete Crow-Armstrong singled, Miguel Amaya doubled and Nico Hoerner singled to make it 5-1.
Ashby recovered by striking out Alex Bregman and Ian Happ, then Seiya Suzuki sent a 108.6-mph smash on the ground that ate up Luis Rengifo at third and allowed another run to score.
Chad Patrick replaced Ashby, and he ultimately got Michael Conforto to bounce into a forceout at second.
Abner Uribe tossed a 1-2-3 ninth to register his fifth save.
Brice Turang provides some more breathing room
David Hamilton drew a one-out walk from Trent Thornton in the eighth, then with two outs and Hamilton having advanced to third on a stolen base and wild pitch, Brice Turang belted a two-run home run to left-center to up Milwaukee’s lead to 5-0.
The homer was Turang’s seventh, tying him with Jake Bauers for the team lead.
Premature end for The Miz
Misiorowski took the offense’s struggles in stride and continued to mow through Chicago’s lineup by erasing a two-out single in the fourth and leadoff singles in the fifth and sixth with a pitch count that sat at only 74.
Murphy elected to remove Misiorowski heading into the seventh in favor of Trevor Megill, however.
Misiorowski (4-2) allowed only three singles and a walk while striking out eight in extending his scoreless innings streak to 24 ⅓. He lowered his season ERA to 1.89, WHIP to 0.88 and moved atop the season strikeout board in the majors with 88.
Misiorowski also hasn’t allowed an extra-base hit in five straight starts.
Multiple missed opportunities
Milwaukee did miss a chance to further pad its lead when Crow-Armstrong dropped a routine fly ball off the bat of Sal Frelick to start the fourth and then David Hamilton bunted for a hit only to see Jackson Chourio and Brice Turang strike out and William Contreras ground out.
In the fifth, a leadoff double by Christian Yelich went for naught and in the sixth a leadoff single by Sal Frelick also resulted in no runs, although by that point the Brewers did get into the Cubs’ bullpen with Brown being pulled after five.
Through six innings Milwaukee was just 3 for 15 with runners in scoring position.
Adding onto the advantage
Chourio and Turang each singled to start the third, when Contreras grounded into a fielder’s choice and Yelich struck out.
Garrett Mitchell followed by walking, but not before Chourio scampered in to score from third on a Brown wild pitch. Then, red-hot Jake Bauers ripped a single to right to score Contreras and stretch the Brewers’ lead to 3-0.
Misiorowski, meanwhile, dialed it in to the point he needed only 15 pitches to retire the Cubs in order in the second and third innings.
An eventful first inning
Turang drew a one-out walk, Contreras followed with a single and after Yelich struck out, Garrett Mitchell lined a single to center to score Turang and get the Brewers out to the quick 1-0 lead.
The bottom of the first should have been rather routine for Misiorowski, but after he walked leadoff man Nico Hoerner, Hamilton booted a routine double-play grounder to put two on with nobody out.
Misiorowski responded well, however, getting Alex Bregman to fly out and then striking out Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki.
Misiorowski’s velocity wasn’t as crisp as we’ve seen of late, topping out at 101.3 mph on his 11 100-mph offerings in the opening frame.
Brewers 2026 record
28-18.
Brewers lineup
Cubs lineup
Brewers probable pitchers, schedule
Brewers at Cubs, May 20 6:40 p.m.: Milwaukee LHP Kyle Harrison (4-1, 2.09) vs. Chicago RHP Edward Cabrera (3-1, 4.06). TV – Brewers TV. Radio – AM-620 WTMJ.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Brewers 5, Cubs 2: The Miz paves the way to a series victory
Reporting by Todd Rosiak, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
