Brewers overcame a rough start from Jacob Misiorowski with homers from William Contreras and Jackson Chourio to take a 1-0 lead over Padres
The Milwaukee Brewers aren’t used to doing things the hard way when Jacob Misiorowski is on the mound. That doesn’t mean they aren’t ready.
Despite getting only four innings from the presumptive NL Cy Young Award winner, the Brewers beat the San Diego Padres 3-2 on Saturday to take a 1-0 lead in the NLDS. Game 2 is scheduled for Sunday at 4 p.m. ET in Milwaukee.
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After going down 2-0 in the second inning, the Brewers can thank Jackson Chourio, William Contreras and their bullpen for the comeback. Chourio tied the game in the third inning with a two-run homer, then Contreras broke the tie in the seventh inning with a solo homer.
Meanwhile, the Brewers bullpen combined for five scoreless innings against a red-hot Padres lineup, with Trevor Megill closing out the game with a four-out save against the Padres’ top order.
This wasn’t a normal save though.
With one out in the ninth, Ty France hit a high ball that looked like it had the distance for a home run, but it hit a railing in the roof and fell into Jackson Chourio’s glove. France thought he homered, but replay review ruled it a strikeout. The game ended one batter later.
Between Chourio and Contreras’ homers, there was a constant exchange of scoring opportunities. The Brewers bullpen was by no means dominant, with five hits allowed, three walks and one hit by pitch.
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However, they never broke. Neither does Misiorowski, for that matter. Four two-run innings is well below flamethrower standards, and we know he was excited, considering he threw the hardest pitch in playoff history to open the game, but it could have been a lot worse for Milwaukee.
After the second inning, Misiorowski threw 58 pitches and failed to get the swings and misses that allowed him to achieve historic dominance in the regular season. The Padres fouled 30 of his pitches in four innings, a historic total, making him cringe.
But Misiorowski came through and kept San Diego within reach. His success has been one of the biggest stories in baseball this year, but the Brewers aren’t a 103-win team because of him alone. They have a complete and patient range. They have an excellent defense. They have one of the best bullpens in the game.
All of that was on display over the final five innings Saturday, and it allowed the Brewers to hold off a Padres team that steamrolled the NL Central rival Chicago Cubs in the wild-card round. San Diego entered the game with wins in 19 of its last 22 games and seemed on track to add another, but Milwaukee fought back and won the first game.
Jack Baer
Jackson Merrill lines up, and it will. The Padres will be furious with this French decision.
Wow, the call is under review, and it remains a strikeout, not a homer as the show speculated. Ty France definitely looked like he had a home run.
We’ll talk about it after the match.
Jack Baer
We’re going to go to a replay review.
Jack Baer
Wait, it took off. Please wait.
Jack Baer
Ty France flies to the left. Two down.
Jack Baer
Machado strikes while swinging. One at the bottom.
Jack Baer
Dustin Harris leads off the ninth with a single to right field. With his speed, one would imagine that he wants to steal second place despite the fact that William Contreras kicked him out earlier.
Now Manny Machado steps in to give the nod.
Jack Baer
Adrian Morejon stays and makes it 1-2-3 in the bottom of the eighth. Megill returns for the four-out save with Dustin Harris, Manny Machado and Ty France.
Oh boy. Freddy Fermin is hurting a bit and he is the last catcher available for the Padres after removing Ethan Salas and Luis Campusano earlier. He stays inside, but it’s something to watch over the next few minutes.
Jack Baer
Jack Baer
Megill retires Tatis on three strikes. The Brewers are three outs from a 1-0 lead in a game that once looked like a disaster.
You can expect Megill to make a four-out save in the ninth.
Jack Baer
Jack Baer
Hays flies out to right, allowing Bogaerts to advance to third base. In comes former Padres draft pick Trevor Megill to face Fernando Tatis Jr. with runners on the corners and two outs in the eighth inning.
For the 15th time this match, we’re going to say it: big place here.
Jack Baer
DL Hall walks Xander Bogaerts and Luis Campusano to put a runner in scoring position with one out. The Padres hit Austin Hays for Jake Cronenworth and Hall remains ahead at the line.
William Contreras uses the Brewers’ last remaining challenge with no outs, no one out, and he’s 0.1 inches away. Not great for Milwaukee.
Jack Baer
Morejon retires Pratt on three pitches to end the inning. The Padres now have six outs to get that run back.
Jack Baer
The Brewers followed that home run with back-to-back singles from Jake Bauers and pinch-hitter Andrew Vaughn. They have a chance to add another here with two outs and Cooper Pratt at bat.
Gn sports
