Jacob Misiorowski’s Sudden Velocity Slump in 6th Inning Sparks Brewing Chaos Against Dodgers

In the heart of Los Angeles, towering rookie Jacob Misiorowski brought the heat—literally—rocketing pitches clocked at an eye-popping 102 mph to stymie the Dodgers early on. But as that blazing fastball lost a bit of its snap around the sixth inning, the Brewers’ defense faltered alongside it, paving the way for the Dodgers to seize the lead. Standing tall at 6-foot-7, Misiorowski burst from the bullpen, wrangling out of a sticky first-inning jam and fanning nine batters in a contest that hung in the balance for five innings. It’s a tale of firepower, grit, and those fleeting moments when momentum shifts, as Tommy Edman’s clutch single nudged the Dodgers ahead in what would become a 3-1 clincher, pushing them up 3-0 in the NL Championship Series.

Since his debut in June, this lanky right-hander has shown flashes of brilliance, compiling a 5-3 record with a 4.36 ERA across 14 starts plus a relief stint. The playoffs have seen him flex his relief muscles thrice, boasting a sterling 1.50 ERA with 16 strikeouts in 12 innings—proof that when the Brewers turn to him, they expect fire…and mostly, that’s what he delivers. But baseball, that mercurial game, reminded everyone tonight just how crucial sustained velocity is. The Dodgers capitalized on his dip—from a scorching triple-digit velocity down to the high 90s—and snatched the lead. It’s baseball’s beautiful, brutal dance.

As Will Smith singled and Freddie Freeman drew a walk, tension mounted. Edman, after falling twice to Misiorowski in the past, lined a crucial ball into center field—on what was the pitcher’s 73rd and final hurrah. The missteps didn’t stop there; a shaky throw and a relieved pickoff attempt gone awry offered the Dodgers the insurance runs they craved. Brewers’ third baseman Caleb Durbin summed it up best: “We needed him today, and he was there for us. Wish we could’ve had his back a little bit more.” That’s the heartache and hunger of playoff baseball—heroes rise, but sometimes the margin is razor-thin.

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LOS ANGELES — Jacob Misiorowski held off the Los Angeles Dodgers with 102 mph heat. When he faded, so did the Milwaukee Brewers.

The 6-foot-7 rookie right-hander came out of the bullpen to escape a first-inning jam and struck out nine as the Brewers rallied in a game that remained tied through five innings.

When his velocity dropped in the sixth, Tommy Edman hit a go-ahead single and the Dodgers went on to a 3-1 victory and a 3-0 NL Championship Series lead.

“I think I had a few starts during the year that I felt better, but I felt good,” Misiorowski said. “I did my job and felt like I performed the way they needed me to.”

Misiorowski debuted in June and went 5-3 with a 4.36 ERA in 14 starts and one relief appearance. Milwaukee has used him three times in relief during the playoffs. He has a 1.50 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 12 innings with three walks.

He threw 17 pitches from 100.1 mph to 102.5 mph from the first through fifth innings, but his fastball ranged from 97.6 mph to 99.1 mph in the sixth.

Will Smith singled with one out on a slider in the middle of the strike zone and Freddie Freeman walked after falling behind 1-2 in the count. Edman, who had struck out twice against Misiorowski, lined a low slider into center on Misiorowski’s 73rd and final pitch. Smith scored for a 2-1 lead as Sal Frelick made a weak throw.

Abner Uribe relieved made a run-scoring error on an errant pickoff attempt.

“We needed him today, and he was there for us,” Brewers third baseman Caleb Durbin said of Misiorowski. “Wish we could’ve had his back a little bit more.”