Jacob Misiorowski Ties Career Highs in Brewers' 9-5 Victory Over Cubs

Jacob Misiorowski surrendered five runs over four innings as the Milwaukee Brewers extended their NL Central lead to nine games with a 9-5 win.

The Milwaukee Brewers secured a 9-5 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night, despite starting pitcher Jacob Misiorowski matching career-worst marks in runs and walks allowed. The 24-year-old right-hander surrendered five runs and issued four walks across just four innings of work, throwing 92 total pitches. This performance saw Misiorowski’s season ERA climb to 1.97 as he surrendered five hits and recorded only five strikeouts, tying his lowest strikeout total in any start this year and his fewest since mid-April.

Chicago third baseman Alex Bregman provided the bulk of the early damage against the National League Cy Young favorite. Bregman launched a two-run, score-tying home run in the first inning before returning in the second to drive in two more with a bases-loaded single. Despite the early five-run deficit, Milwaukee’s offense rallied to take a permanent lead in the fourth inning, marking their second consecutive win against their NL Central rivals and increasing their division lead to nine games over the second-place Cubs.

Pitching Conditions at Wrigley Field

High humidity at Wrigley Field played a significant role in the performance of pitchers from both clubs during the first three games of this four-game set. Misiorowski noted that he felt "soggy the whole time" and struggled with his grip due to the weather. After the rocky first two frames, he managed to settle in for scoreless third and fourth innings. Manager Pat Murphy observed that the pitcher lacked his perfect delivery and struggled to command his fastball, noting that Misiorowski was slipping on the mound early in the contest.

In preparation for this road start, Misiorowski took the unusual step of throwing a bullpen session on the Wrigley Field mound on Monday. While the pitcher admitted to second-guessing his pitches during the humid outing, he remained hitless against NL MVP favorite Pete Crow-Armstrong. Although Crow-Armstrong drew walks in both the first and second innings, Misiorowski struck him out in the fourth to maintain his career-long dominance over the outfielder.

Milwaukee Bullpen Dominates Late

Following Misiorowski’s exit after 12 outs, the Milwaukee bullpen delivered five innings of near-flawless relief. Five different relievers combined to allow just one hit over the final five frames of the game. Misiorowski described the relief effort as "electric," noting their ability to secure the win after his difficult start. The Brewers have now won two of the first three games in this series, which concludes Thursday night under expected temperatures exceeding 90 degrees.

Cubs Injury Concern and Series Outlook

The Chicago Cubs faced a late-game injury scare in the top of the ninth inning when reliever Jacob Webb was struck by a line drive. The ball, hit up the middle by Christian Yelich, impacted Webb’s forearm. While Webb exited the game immediately with significant bruising and pain, manager Craig Counsell confirmed that X-rays were negative. The Brewers now look to finish the series on Thursday as they continue their push toward the postseason with a comfortable cushion in the division standings.