Monday’s Game Report: Brewers 5, Cardinals 1
By Rob Rains
Jacob Misiorowski’s first pitch on Monday was timed at 103 miles per hour. He did not let up until his final pitch in the seventh inning, proving to be too tough for the Cardinals.
Of his 96 pitches over those seven innings, Misiorowski hit triple digits 57 times as he shut down the Cardinals in the opener of a three-game series in Milwaukee.
Misiorowski tied his career high with 12 strikeouts and did not allow a hit over the first five innings. Pedro Pages’ bloop single to right leading off the sixth was the first of the Cardinals two hits, the second two batters later when JJ Wetherholt also singled.
The Brewers gave Misiorowski more than enough offensive support with a three-run first inning against Matthew Liberatore, including a two-run homer by Christian Yelich.
Brycen Mautz, who had been scheduled to start on Sunday in Cincinnati before the game was rained out, made his major-league debut a day later by pitching three innings in relief, allowing two runs.
Here is how Monday’s game broke down:
At the plate: Wetherholt walked on a 3-2 pitch to begin the game, but Misiorowski then retired the next 15 batters in order, 10 by strikeouts … After Pages’ single, he was forced at second on a grounder by Victor Scott II, who went to third on Wetherholt’s single and scored on a groundout by Ivan Herrera … Misiorowski struck out every Cardinal at least once, fanning Nolan Gorman three times … Their only ball hit out of the infield in the first five innings was a fly to the warning track in center by Alec Burleson in the fourth … Their two hits tied their career-low for a game in Milwaukee, following two-hit games in 2009 and 2020.
On the mound: Liberatore had only allowed three runs in 21 innings in four career starts versus the Brewers, who matched that total four batters into the game. A leadoff walk and stolen base came before a RBI single by William Contreras, who then scored on the homer from Yelich … Liberatore struck out a career-high 10 batters over five innings … Mautz allowed two runs on four hits and two walks over the final three innings, recording two strikeouts. It was the first regular-season relief appearance by Mautz, after 81 career starts in the minors. He did make eight relief appearances in the Arizona Fall League following the 2024 season.
Key stat: Misiorowski became only the third Brewers pitcher with a 12-strikeout game against the Cardinals, joining Corbin Burnes in 2019 and Ben McDonald in 1997. It’s the most strikeouts by a pitcher against the Cardinals since Jack Flaherty’s 14-strikeout game in 2024.
Worth noting: The home run by Yelich was the 23rd of his career against the Cardinals, the third most by an active player behind Ian Happ’s 27 homers and 26 by Eugenio Suarez … With Mautz now unavailable to pitch for several days after throwing 59 pitches, he likely will be optioned to Memphis on Tuesday and Ryan Fernandez will rejoin the team. Fernandez already was with the team in Milwaukee … Lars Nootbaar’s rehab assignment will shift to Springfield this week, perhaps the final week before he rejoins the Cardinals. In six games he has gone 5-of-15 with two homers split between Palm Beach and Memphis.
Up next: Michael McGreevy will get the start on Tuesday night in the second game of the series.
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