In a standout performance, Jacob Misiorowski dominated the mound during his third major league start, leading the Milwaukee Brewers to a 4-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday.
Misiorowski (3-0) showcased his skills by throwing five shutout innings, allowing just two hits while walking two and striking out eight. His impressive outing, which required 74 pitches, lowered his ERA to an impressive 1.13. The Brewers secured their second win in three games against the Pirates, marking a season-high nine games above .500.
At just 23 years old, Misiorowski entered this matchup with a remarkable record of only one hit and two runs allowed over 11 innings in his previous two starts since his promotion from Triple-A Nashville on June 12.
On the opposing side, Paul Skenes, also 23 and the reigning NL Rookie of the Year, faced challenges early on. He surrendered all four runs in a difficult second inning, finishing with four hits allowed, two walks, and four strikeouts over 78 pitches, resulting in a record of 4-7.
The Brewers capitalized on Skenes' struggles by sending nine batters to the plate in the second inning. After loading the bases without any outs, Joey Ortiz's groundout to Skenes brought in the first run. Eric Haase followed with a bloop double, extending the lead further. Sal Frelick added to the score with a fielder's choice, while Christian Yelich capped off the inning with an RBI single.
Trevor Megill secured his 18th save for the Brewers, solidifying their lead.
For the Pirates, Oneil Cruz returned to the lineup after being benched for not hustling on Tuesday. He reached base on a two-base error in the seventh and later scored on Tommy Pham's single. Spencer Horwitz contributed another run for Pittsburgh with a double in the eighth.
The Pirates threatened in the fourth inning when Bryan Reynolds led off with a single, marking the first hit off Misiorowski. Following a walk to Horwitz, Misiorowski responded by inducing Nick Gonzales into a double play and striking out Cruz to escape the inning unscathed.
Skenes' second inning was particularly taxing, as he threw 37 pitches while allowing four hits and four runs.
Looking ahead, Mitch Keller (1-10, 4.02 ERA) is set to start Friday's series opener against the Mets in Pittsburgh. Meanwhile, left-hander José Quintana (5-2, 2.98) will take the mound for the Brewers at home in their upcoming three-game series against the Rockies.
