Brewers win title as Misiorowski pitches through cramp to cap dominant season

Jacob Misiorowski led the Milwaukee Brewers to their first World Series title on Wednesday night in St. Petersburg, Florida. The team defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 in Game 5 to close out the championship. Misiorowski finished the series with a 2-0 record and a 0.84 earned run average. He allowed just five strikeouts over 10 2/3 innings across the postseason.

The 24-year-old right-hander started the final game with a 4-1 lead and pitched two-hit ball over 5 2/3 scoreless innings. He left the mound because of a cramp in his right calf. Head athletic trainer Brad Epstein accompanied him off the field. The cramp is similar to an ailment that forced him from a pair of starts in May.

Misiorowski tied his career low with only two strikeouts in the game. He relied on command rather than raw power to beat the Rays. The grounds crew made several trips to the mound to fill in a divot created by his long stride. He is 6 feet 7 inches tall and uses a distinctive delivery that wears down the pitching surface.

During the regular season, Misiorowski was the hardest-throwing starter in baseball. He threw 1,115 pitches at 100 mph or higher. That number shattered the previous record of 673 set by Jordan Hicks of St. Louis in 2018. He also threw a 105.5 mph pitch to Chicago Cubs player Pete Crow-Armstrong on June 27.

He went 16-5 this season and became the fourth pitcher since 1950 to lead the majors in ERA, strikeouts, and opponents' batting average. His 1.80 ERA and 252 strikeouts anchored the Brewers' staff. He also held opposing batters to a .157 average. These figures likely secure the NL Cy Young Award for him next month.

"It was insane," Misiorowski said after the win. "I woke up this morning and I felt like throwing up from the beginning. I felt awful. My fiancée was amazing today. She helped me out, get through this and really made sure I got what I needed. It was amazing."

Catcher William Contreras, named the World Series MVP, praised his pitcher. Contreras said Misiorowski deserves the Cy Young Award and the success he earned during the year. The Brewers' victory marks the end of a record-setting campaign for the franchise and its staff.