Sometimes you just have to tip your cap and admit that someone was better than you. Today’s cap is tipped to Brewers starter Jacob Misiorowski who overwhelmed the St. Louis Cardinals on Memorial Day Monday as Milwaukee won 5-1.
If you could erase the first inning, Matthew Liberatore had a better-than-average start for the Cardinals. He registered a career-high 10 strikeouts. Unfortunately, the 1st inning did happen and it was a punishing one for Matthew as he gave up a leadoff walk to Jackson Chourio who ended up stealing second base when Liberatore’s pickoff attempt was tardy and he was ruled safe on a successful Brewers challenge. Chourio then scored on a single to left by William Contreras making it 1-0 Brewers. That wasn’t nearly as damaging as what Christian Yelich would do when he slammed a 381 foot opposite field home run giving Milwaukee a seemingly insurmountable 3-0 lead.
That 3-0 lead felt “insurmountable” because Jacob Misiorowski was dealing. He didn’t allow a St. Louis Cardinals hit for the first 5 innings. The no-hit bid would end in the top of the 6th inning when Pedro Pagés managed a single into short right field. After Victor Scott II reached on a fielder’s choice, JJ Wetherholt smoked a single between first and second base and Victor advanced to third base. Suddenly, the St. Louis Cardinals had the tying run at the plate in Ivan Herrera, but all he was able to manage was a groundout to third which scored Victor Scott II and cut the Milwaukee lead to 3-1. Jacob Misiorowski ended up throwing heat for 7 innings and striking out 12.
Matthew Liberatore’s final stat line for Monday was 5 innings pitched allowing 3 earned runs on 7 hits while striking out 10 and walking 2. Brycen Mautz made his Major League debut in the 6th inning and got off to a shaky start allowing a single to Vaughan who advanced to second on a wild pitch. Brycen then walked Rengifo and then gave up a single to Garrett Mitchell which scored Vaughan making it 4-1 Brewers. Mautz finished the bottom of the 6th inning strong, though, with strikeouts of Ortiz and Chourio.
Milwaukee would tack on a run to their lead in the bottom of the 7th inning when Brycen Mautz walked Turang. After getting Contreras to fly out, Yelich singled and then Vaughan hit a ground-rule double scoring Turang and making it 5-1 Brewers. It could have been more, but Christian Yelich gave a clinic on why you don’t slide into home with your lead foot sticking straight up in the air as he was thrown out by Jordan Walker after a successful Cardinals challenge. Kudos to Brycen Mautz for setting the Brewers down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the 8th inning. Imagine making your Major League debut in a tight 3-1 game against your NL Central Division-leading rival. He should feel good about his first game.
The St. Louis Cardinals will try again on Tuesday night as Michael McGreevy will start for the good guys while Kyle Harrison takes the mound for the villains. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40pm at American Family Field in Milwaukee.
