Every time Jacob Misiorowski steps onto the pitcher’s mound, he delivers an absolutely captivating performance that viewers cannot afford to miss.
The sophomore starting pitcher was selected to start on Sunday for the Milwaukee Brewers as they wrapped up their three-game series confronting the Colorado Rockies.
Misiorowski started the matchup in spectacular fashion, registering 13 pitches that exceeded 100 mph during the opening frame by itself. Colorado’s hitters found themselves completely baffled early on, as the Milwaukee star fanned 12 out of the initial 14 hitters he encountered, racking up 11 of those strikeouts within the opening four innings.
According to a report by Sarah Langs, this marked the very first instance since 1969 where a pitcher recorded 11 strikeouts while keeping the opponent hitless over the initial four frames of a matchup.
Having fanned 11 of the first 12 opponents, Misiorowski put himself on track to challenge major league history. The current benchmark for strikeouts during a standard nine-inning game stands at 20, a feat shared by Roger Clemens, Kerry Wood, Randy Johnson, and Max Scherzer. Regrettably for the talented righty, his rate of strikeouts began to taper off as he entered the fifth frame.
Right fielder Troy Johnston was the only Colorado batter to avoid striking out over the initial four frames, instead hitting a fly ball out to center. Prior to Johnston making contact, the Brewers’ starting pitcher had successfully retired seven consecutive opponents via strikeout.
Carrying a perfect game right into the fifth, Misiorowski secured two quick outs—including yet another strikeout—before Colorado’s Cole Carrigg hit a solo home run over the left-field wall. Although this put the Rockies on the scoreboard, it simultaneously relieved some of the immense burden on the Milwaukee hurler, who no longer had to carry the weight of a flawless performance.
Following a workload of 83 pitches over five full frames, Misiorowski’s afternoon concluded as he was removed from the contest, wrapping up his bid for the record books. He exited having yielded just a single hit and one earned run alongside his 12 strikeouts, handing the ball over to reliever Chad Patrick. Ultimately, the Brewers secured an 11-2 victory, allowing Misiorowski to claim his 11th win of the campaign.
Throughout this season, the young starter has made 20 appearances on the mound. He has compiled an impressive 11-4 record accompanied by a superb 1.58 ERA, which currently ranks as the best mark in Major League Baseball.
Earlier in the year, Misiorowski cemented his place in history by delivering the fastest pitch ever recorded by an MLB starter at 105.5 mph. Additionally, he established a new high-water mark for the most triple-digit pitches thrown in a single outing, pumping in 57 heaters at 100+ mph during a matchup with the St. Louis Cardinals in May.
Should he continue to exhibit this level of supreme command and dominance down the stretch, the sophomore pitcher is widely expected to be a top contender for the National League Cy Young Award.
