The visiting San Diego Padres will have a tough task to even the series against the Milwaukee Brewers when they face hard-throwing right-hander Jacob Misiorowski on Wednesday.
Misiorowski (3-2, 2.45 ERA), who leads the majors in strikeouts with 70 in 44 innings, will be opposed by right-hander Michael King (3-2, 2.76). The Brewers have won five games in a row and eight of 10.
The Brewers won the series opener 6-4 on Tuesday behind a solid start from Brandon Sproat, who allowed three runs in 5 1/3 innings for his first career victory.
Joey Ortiz homered for Milwaukee, his first since last July 19. Padres knuckleballer Matt Waldron, struggling to stay in the rotation, came on in the second after an opener and was tagged for six runs on eight hits in 2 2/3 innings.
Milwaukee moved to a season-high seven games above .500.
Misiorowski has been dominant in his two starts this month, winning both without allowing a run in 11 1/3 innings with 19 strikeouts.
His last time out, he allowed two hits over six scoreless innings, striking out 11 in a 6-0 victory over the New York Yankees on Friday. In his previous start, Misiorowski tossed 5 1/3 hitless with eight strikeouts before exiting with a hamstring cramp in a 6-1 win over the Nationals.
“You know, I’ve seen a lot of his games and seen what he’s done; it’s impressive stuff, man,” Yankees slugger Aaron Judge said after facing Misiorowski in his last start. “They’ve got a great, great, great young star over there.”
Against the Yankees, Misiorowski reached 103.6 mph with the seven fastest fastballs for a starter in the pitch tracking era, which dates to 2008. The slowest of them was 103.2 mph.
“Miz is interested in being great,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said afterward. “And he’s in that process of being great.”
Misiorowski is limiting opponents to a .162 batting average. He has never faced the Padres.
Brice Turang and Jake Bauers each doubled in the opener. Turang has hit in 10 of his last 11 games, batting .405 (17-for-42) over that span with four doubles, two homers and seven RBIs. Bauers is batting .321 with six doubles and a homer over his past 15 games.
King allowed just one hit — a solo homer — in six innings in his most recent start but did not get a decision in 2-1 loss to St. Louis. He has not won in three starts since his last victory April 19 against the Los Angeles Angels.
“We’re getting there,” King said after his most recent start. “It was a little bit better. A little bit more command. But still not 100 percent.”
King is 0-2 with a 3.38 ERA in three career starts vs. Milwaukee.
Nick Castellanos singled in two runs in the opener, giving him 15 RBIs in his past 20 games. Ten of his runs batted in this season have come with two outs.
Miguel Andujar homered and added an RBI double Tuesday. He is batting .306 over his last 27 starts with three homers, eight doubles, two triples and 11 RBI.
–Field Level Media
