Jacob Misiorowski struggled with the Cincinnati mound in an ugly return from the injured list, though he sees the possible long-term benefit, too.
CINCINNATI — The return of Jacob Misiorowski from a stay on the injured list didn't quite turn into the catalyst for the Brewers magic Aug. 15 — that would come later in Milwaukee's wild 10-8 victory — but Misiorowski's ugly start also wasn't leaving any lingering cause for concern.
Misiorowski appeared to struggle with the landing area on the mound at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, and the results were rough. He allowed more runs (five) than outs recorded (four), with four hits, three walks and three strikeouts. The pitching line could have been even worse if not for center fielder Steward Berroa throwing out a runner trying to score at the end of the first inning.
"No comment," Misiorowski said about the mound. "I'm not going to insult anyone. You obviously know how I feel, so no comment."
It was his first start during Milwaukee's crazy 13-game winning streak after he suffered a tibia contusion against the Cubs in his most recent start July 28. The appearance against the Reds would have been brief under just about any circumstance, but the Brewers were left with no choice but to remove him in the second when he hit one batter and walked the next three.
All three inherited runners left on base scored against DL Hall in a seven-run inning. The Reds' 8-1 lead, however, was short-lived, with Milwaukee pitchers closing the game by retiring the final 23 in order.
"First inning, got stupid little hits," Misiorowski said. "Dude hit it a foot and it was a base hit, so it sucks. But it's baseball. The second one just lost it. There's nothing to it. It was one of those things were I started thinking about other things. You can guess what that would be with my comment before. But it is what it is.
"Everything's a learning experience."
Misiorowski wasn't wrong about the soft contact that led into a jaw-dropping Reds rally. But it still goes down as the worst outing of his young career.
The Brewers weren't initially sure where Misiorowski would pitch on Aug. 14, whether for the Brewers or in a rehab outing. They ultimately chose to let him take the ball in Cincinnati.
"I'm wholehearted with what they chose," he said. "I'm excited with them giving me the opporutnity to pitch today. But I'm always going to throw better in the big leagues with more stress. It's always better to get more experience under my belt."
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Jacob Misiorowski frustrated by mound during rough start in Cincinnati
Category: General Sports
