Misiorowski’s Rough Ride: Brewers Ace Battles Into the Fifth in NLCS Opener

Milwaukee – It was a night of ups and downs for Jacob Misiorowski, the Brewers’ young right‑hander who has been whispered about all season as a possible Cy Young winner. The NLCS opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers started with a flash of brilliance – a 102‑mph fastball that seemed to announce his intentions – but quickly turned into a test of endurance.

Misiorowski was handed the ball in the first inning, and the early counts were telling. The Dodgers were patient, fouling off pitches and dragging the at‑bats deep into the count. By the second inning he was already past 35 pitches, and a wild swing on a 2‑2 pitch resulted in a runner on first. The crowd sensed the pressure; a murmur rippled through the stands as the rookie ace tried to settle into his rhythm.

He managed to retire the side in the second, but the third inning proved tougher. A leadoff double followed by a single forced Misiorowski to work two full innings with the bases loaded. A timely double‑play saved the day, but the damage was done – the Dodgers scratched in a run that would prove decisive.

When the fourth inning arrived, the pitcher’s command wavered. A walk and a strikeout pushed his pitch total to 86, and the manager, Pat Murphy, made a quick visit to the mound. Murphy, ever the character, tried to lighten the mood, joking that the team kept a “paddle in the back room” to give Misiorowski a little tap‑on‑the‑back when things got rough. The quip drew a chuckle, but the focus remained on limiting the damage.

Misiorowski’s fifth‑inning start finally ended after just one out, leaving him with a line of 4 ⅓ innings, one run allowed, two hits, three walks and nine strikeouts on 94 pitches. It wasn’t the dominant performance fans had hoped for, and some social‑media voices weren’t shy about calling him “overrated.” Still, the rookie kept his composure, acknowledging afterward that the Dodgers “made me work a lot of counts” and that he’d learned “a little humility.”

The real heroics came from the bullpen. Reliever Nathan Gillespie entered with a runner on first and promptly induced a ground‑ball double‑play. A flurry of fastballs from rookie Jalen Mendoza shut the door, and the Brewers finally broke the tie in the seventh when Brice Turang smashed a solo homer. Luis Lara added insurance with an RBI single, and Milwaukee walked away with a 2‑1 win.

Post‑game, Pat Murphy praised his ace’s effort, saying, “Jacob gave us a chance. He’s still learning, but he fought hard. We’ll get him back on that mound soon.” Misiorowski, visibly exhausted but smiling, reflected, “I know I can do better. This is just the start of the series for me.”

The win gives the Brewers a 1‑0 lead and a morale boost, while the Dodgers will look to adjust their approach against a pitcher who can still dominate when he finds his groove. The NLCS has only just begun, but the battle lines are already drawn.