Misiorowski Takes the Ball in Game 5 as Brewers Seek First Title

Jacob Misiorowski will start Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday night at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Milwaukee Brewers face the Tampa Bay Rays with a chance to clinch the franchise's first championship. Misiorowski walks a 105 mph fastball and is expected to win the National League Cy Young Award in a few weeks.

Milwaukee fell short in Game 4 earlier this week. The Brewers held a one-run lead in the bottom of the 12th inning. Tampa Bay's Ben Williamson hit a walk-off single to end the game. The hit capped a two-run rally that erased Milwaukee's advantage. Manager Pat Murphy accepted the loss as part of the process. He stated that adversity is inherent when a team achieves historic success.

The loss snapped an eight-game winning streak for the Brewers. The team had been driven largely by its position players during the October run. Rookie Cooper Pratt, 22, highlighted that depth by hitting a solo home run off Ian Seymour in the top of the 12th inning. Pratt finished the game with four hits. He signed a contract extension six months ago and has shown he can perform alongside veterans like Christian Yelich and William Contreras.

Misiorowski has struggled to find his regular-season form in the postseason. He pitched four innings against the San Diego Padres in the NLDS. He threw 4 1/3 innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers. In Game 1 of the World Series, he lasted five innings. His teammates carried the team's recent winning streak, and now the spotlight returns to him.

Tampa Bay used its entire bullpen to stay alive in Game 4. Manager Kevin Cash sent closer Bryan Baker out for two innings. Ian Seymour pitched for another inning. Cameron Booser recorded one out, his second straight appearance. Nick Martinez, scheduled to start Game 5 for the Rays, also took the mound.

Pat Murphy protected his own pitching staff for Wednesday. Aaron Ashby threw 2 1/3 scoreless innings starting in the ninth inning. Murphy removed Ashby with one out in the 11th inning to preserve his health. Murphy said he never considered using Misiorowski in that high-leverage spot. He believed the risk of blowing a one-run lead was too high, even if the margin had been larger.

Ashby described the loss as part of the team's narrative. He said his teammates are ready to return to the mound Wednesday. The Brewers now rely on Misiorowski to deliver a performance that matches his regular-season dominance. The baseball is in his hands as the series heads into its decisive game.