UPDATE: Brewers rookie sensation Jacob Misiorowski displayed remarkable resilience on July 17, 2023, after a rocky start in a crucial game against the Chicago Cubs. The game, held at American Family Field, saw the Brewers rally to an 8-4 victory, with first place in the NL Central at stake.
In a challenging first inning, Misiorowski, who boasts a 3-0 record and an impressive 0.56 ERA this season, faced immediate difficulties. After allowing a bloop single and a walk, he was struck on the shin by a line drive from Seiya Suzuki. Misiorowski struck out Pete Crow-Armstrong, but a wild pitch permitted a run to score. A subsequent errant throw allowed two more runs to cross the plate, ballooning the Cubs’ lead to 3-0 in just one inning. Misiorowski tossed a staggering 40 pitches in the first inning alone.
“It was a long inning and long innings suck,” Misiorowski remarked. “Your legs start feeling a little loose and every pitch seems to be getting away just a little bit.”
However, the young pitcher turned the tide. Misiorowski regained his composure and retired ten consecutive batters over the next three innings, throwing only 40 pitches during that stretch. The Brewers’ offense ignited, scoring four runs in the third inning to take a lead they would not relinquish.
“Just trust that the team is behind me and is going to help me out, and they did,” Misiorowski said, reflecting on his mindset after the rocky start. “I thought I did my job of getting us into a position to succeed.”
Veteran teammate Christian Yelich praised Misiorowski’s ability to bounce back. “I told him it was my favorite start he’s had in the big leagues. This shows you a lot about what he’s made of,” Yelich stated. “You can get down on yourself big right there. That’s how it’s going to be in the big leagues. It can be messy sometimes.”
Manager Pat Murphy echoed this sentiment, noting how Misiorowski managed adversity. “We’re down 3-0. He feels horrible. It’s like a fighter getting knocked down in the first round, and he had to regroup,” Murphy explained. “He’ll remember this outing and he’s going to learn from it.”
Despite admitting to exhaustion after the lengthy first inning, Misiorowski threw four solid innings, allowing three runs on three hits, walking two, and striking out seven, including 11 pitches clocked at over 100 mph.
The Brewers capitalized on this momentum, scoring four runs off Cubs pitcher Matthew Boyd in the third inning. Yelich contributed with an RBI double, followed by a two-run single from Isaac Collins and a sacrifice fly from Brice Turang. The offense continued to thrive with a solo homer by Andrew Vaughn in the fifth and another by Sal Frelick in the sixth, extending the lead to 6-3.
After the Cubs scored in the seventh to cut the deficit to 6-4, Yelich sealed the victory with a two-run shot, pushing the lead to four runs. “We just had to keep putting together good at-bats, just grinding, getting in there and making it messy,” Yelich emphasized. “Just chip away. We didn’t have to get it all back right away.”
This win not only boosts the Brewers’ standings but also showcases the grit and determination of their rookie pitcher, providing a thrilling narrative for fans and a promising outlook for the remainder of the season.