Milwaukee Brewers hosted Game 1 of the National League Championship series with manager Pat Murphy expecting big things out of left fielder Jackson Chourio. Murphy sent a warning to Dodgers ace Tarik Skubal while Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski sent a message of his own in the early going.
Misiorowski uncorked a searing hot 102-MPH fastball that lifted the spirits of fans at American Family Field.
Misiorowski came into the game having won his only other playoff start, when he gave up two earned runs, four hits and one walk in four innings of work against the San Diego Padres on October 3. He struck out six batters in that game with an imposing repertoire of pitches including his signature 100-plus MPH fastball.
Misiorowski was one of MLB's best pitchers during the regular season with an ERA of 1.80 and 252 strikeouts, but he went up against another superstar in Skubal as part of one of the pitching duels of the the season to date.
The Dodgers got on the board first as Andy Pages smacked a bouncing RBI single through the gap between first and second base in the top of the second inning. Brice Turang later hit a solo shot to left-center field off of Skubal in the fourth inning to even the game up at one run apiece.
Brewers all-star Christian Yelich entered the game with a new role for Murphy's team, information learned shortly after he gave the Dodgers plenty of respect as the defending, back-to-back champions. The Brewers entered Game 1 of the NCLS with plenty of respect for their opponents, but as Misiorowski's opening heater showed, things quickly changed as the game got underway.