The Milwaukee Brewers captured the first World Series championship in franchise history on Wednesday night, securing a 4-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 5 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. Starting pitcher Jacob Misiorowski led the way on the mound, throwing 5 ⅔ scoreless innings despite recording only two strikeouts.
A Dominant Game 5 Outing
Misiorowski, who led Major League Baseball with 252 strikeouts during the regular season, allowed just two hits and one walk in the deciding game. His first 12 pitches of the night were all four-seam fastballs thrown between 100.9 mph and 103 mph. However, the Rays repeatedly made contact, and Misiorowski did not notch his first strikeout until facing his 14th batter, matching his career low for strikeouts in a start.
The playing surface presented challenges during the game, requiring the grounds crew to come out three times early on to pack down the dirt on the mound. Misiorowski was ultimately forced to leave the game with two outs in the sixth inning after experiencing a right calf cramp.
Reflecting on the pressure of the start, Misiorowski admitted to feeling anxious beforehand. “My heart was racing,” Misiorowski said. “I was nervous as everyone on that field. … It’s really cool that they trust me enough to do that.” Downplaying the severity of his cramp, he added, “Just a cramp,” “Happy I left it all out on the field. Obviously, wish I could have got one more out in the inning. But whatever. It is what it is. We got the win.”
From Regular Season Leader to Postseason Champion
In just his second big-league season, the 24-year-old posted a 16-5 record with a major league-best 1.80 ERA. His 37.9% strikeout rate during the regular season stands as the second-highest full-season mark in MLB history, trailing only Gerrit Cole’s 39.9% in 2019. Misiorowski concluded his postseason run with a 2-0 record and a 1.89 ERA.
Earlier in the series, Misiorowski set a World Series record in Game 1 by throwing the fastest pitch in its history and throwing 38 pitches at 100 mph or faster, the most recorded in a World Series game since tracking began in 2008. Brewers catcher William Contreras credited constant communication with helping keep the young pitcher focused throughout October. “I’m someone that has been able to tell him things, how they are to his face and I think he needs that,” Contreras said. “Jacob is still a kid. Jacob is still young and he’s learning in his career.”
Should Misiorowski win the National League Cy Young Award, he will join Sandy Koufax, Steve Carlton, Bret Saberhagen, and Orel Hershiser as the only eventual Cy Young winners to pitch a World Series-clinching victory. During the postgame celebrations, Misiorowski recalled that the team believed in their championship potential as early as spring training seven months ago in Arizona. Asked if the team saw this coming, he replied, “Yeah, of course,” “I think everyone did.” He added, “It’s insane that it happened so quick. But it’s really fun to be a part of.”
