Jacob Misiorowski delivers outing befitting of an ace for Brewers in Game 5.
· Yahoo Sports
ST. PETERSBURG, FL. – When the Milwaukee Brewers needed him most, Jacob Misiorowski was there for them.
The right-hander turned in a strong 5 ⅔-inning despite a game-long battle with the mound conditions before departing after throwing his 86th pitch with cramping in his right calf.
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It was just what the doctor ordered for a team that had used all its key relievers a night earlier in what ended up being a 12-inning loss and set the stage for a 4-0 Game 5 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays that clinched Milwaukee's first World Series title at Tropicana Field on Wednesday, Oct. 28.
Misiorowski entered the game on the heels of a trio of subpar performances – at least by the high standards set by the odds-on favorite to be named the National League Cy Young Award winner next month – that had seen the opposition run up his pitch count early and limit his overall effectiveness.
Sporting a 1-0 record and 2.70 ERA, Misiorowski took the mound opposite Drew Rasmussen, who was pitching on short rest for the Rays with their season on the line.
It was apparent early that Misiorowski was on his game while also employing something of a different game plan than in previous starts – pitching to contact rather than the strikeout-centric approach that's defined his career to this point.
Misiorowski's signature fastball was still in full effect, however, with each of his first 11 pitches – all fastballs – clocking in at least 100.9 mph and topping out at 103.
He was only eight pitches into the night when the mound first became an issue, with Misiorowski kicking at his landing spot after slipping on a follow-through.
The grounds crew quickly filled in the divot, a procedure that became an every-inning endeavor for the rest of Misiorowski's outing.
After working around a two-out Junior Caminero single in the first inning Misiorowski posted a 1-2-3 second on only nine pitches. A two-out walk in the third then did no damage to Misiorowski before he ran into his first spot of trouble in the fourth.
After Caminero opened the bottom of the frame by launching a roof-scraper to the base of the right-field wall, Misiorowski plunked Liam Hucks and struck out Jonny DeLuca – his first of the night, 14 batters in – before Chandler Simpson slapped a single to right that Sal Frelick misplayed.
Then, with runners on second and third, Ben Williamson hit a slow chopper to third that David Hamilton ranged in to field. His throw on the move was high, however, and Jake Bauers did a masterful job of gloving it while also dragging his foot over the bag to secure the third out.
The fifth another efficient frame for Misiorowski, 1-2-3 with another strikeout as he helped maintain a slim 2-0 lead.
Milwaukee's offense put two more runs on the board in the sixth, and Misiorowski worked a groundout and then got Caminero to fly out before the cramping – an issue that popped up earlier in the season but hadn't occurred in quite some time – began.
He was visited on the mound by head athletic trainer Brad Epstein, manager Pat Murphy and pitching coach Chris Hook, and after a long discussion a clearly displeased Misiorowski made his way back to the dugout with JoJo Romero eventually finishing out the inning for him.
Misiorowski lowered his postseason ERA to 1.89 with the performance, with Abner Uribe, Trevor Megill
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Jacob Misiorowski delivers outing befitting of an ace for Brewers in Game 5.