Jacob Misiorowski, the Milwaukee Brewers' 24-year-old ace, threw a record 47 pitches at 101 mph or faster on Friday night, but his team fell 3-2 to the Atlanta Braves. Despite the loss, manager Pat Murphy praised his pitcher's performance.
Record-Breaking Velocity
Misiorowski (8-3) went six innings, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out seven. He hit 104.2 mph with his fastball and threw 54 pitches of at least 100 mph, according to Statcast. The 47 pitches at 101 mph or higher broke his own record of 45 set on June 6 against the Colorado Rockies, the highest since tracking began in 2008.
It was the first time since April 25 that Misiorowski gave up more than one run. He entered the game on a historic roll, surrendering just one earned run over 54.1 innings across eight starts. His major league-leading ERA rose from 1.34 to 1.45 after Mauricio Dubón's two-run single in the sixth inning ended his 29-inning scoreless streak.
Manager and Player Reactions
“He was great,” Murphy said. “He was dominant, fantastic. You know, you’re going to give up runs. You’re a human. Go back and look at some of the greats. They all gave up runs. We’re kind of shocked when he gives up a run.”
Misiorowski acknowledged the Braves' quality: “I think they made good swings and nothing has changed. I felt fine. They are definitely a really good team. You could see that with all their at-bats today. There wasn’t a single at-bat they were off. They were all trying to fight me through the whole game.”
Historic Season Continues
Misiorowski entered Friday averaging 100.1 mph on his fastball, the fastest ever for a starter in the pitch-tracking era. He hit 104.5 mph against the Phillies on June 12 in a 95-pitch, 15-strikeout, one-hit shutout that brought him national attention.
Murphy noted the pressures on his young star: “He’s got a lot coming at him, and luckily I think a lot of that bounces off him. I really respect how he lives his life that way. He clearly understands what’s important, that he’s got his priorities in order and hopefully it stays that way.”
Braves' Perspective
Braves manager Walt Weiss described the challenge of facing the 6-foot-7 right-hander: “It’s big-time extension with big-time velocity, so the ball is on you. He throws strikes, so you have to be aggressive. You’ve got to be ready to fire. It’s a tough guy to have two strikes against, because he’s punching people out.”
This was Misiorowski's first start against the Braves, though he had pitched at Truist Park before, throwing a scoreless eighth inning for the National League in last year's All-Star Game after just five career starts. He was originally scheduled to face Braves ace Chris Sale, but a rainout pushed Sale's start to Saturday.
