Misiorowski outduels Skenes in matchup of young NL pitching phenoms as Brewers top Pirates 4-2

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Making his third major league start, Jacob Misiorowski threw five shutout innings and the Milwaukee Brewers earned a 4-2 victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates and Paul Skenes on Wednesday.

Misiorowski (3-0) allowed two hits, walked two and struck out eight and threw 74 pitches and lowered his ERA to 1.13 for the Brewers, who took two of three in the series and climbed a season-high nine games over .500.

Misiorowski, 23, entered the game having given up one hit and two runs in 11 innings over his first two outings since being promoted from Triple-A Nashville on June 12.

Skenes, also 23 and the reigning NL Rookie of the Year and a starter in the 2024 All-Star Game, allowed all four runs in the second inning. Skenes (4-7) gave up four hits with two walks and four strikeouts and threw 78 pitches for the Pirates.

The Brewers sent nine batters to the plate in the second inning. After loading the bases with no outs, Milwaukee scored its first run on Joey Ortiz’s ground out dribbler to Skenes. Eric Haase followed with a bloop double to drive in another. The Brewers extended the lead when Sal Frelick grounded into a fielder’s choice, while Christian Yelich capped the scoring with an RBI single.

Trevor Megill earned his 18th save for the Brewers.

Oneil Cruz, who was in the starting lineup for the Pirates after being removed from Tuesday night’s game for failing to run out a double play grounder, reached on a two-base error in the seventh and scored on Tommy Pham’s single. Spencer Horwitz's double scored the other run for the Pirates in the eighth.

Key moment

The Pirates threated in the fourth when Bryan Reynolds led off with a single for the first hit off Misiorowski and Horwitz followed with a walk. But Misiorowski got Nick Gonzales to ground into a double play and then struck out Cruz to end the inning.

Key stat

Skenes gave up four hits, four runs and a walk, in a 37-pitch second inning.

Up next

Mitch Keller (1-10, 4.02 ERA) will start Friday’s series opener vs. the Mets in Pittsburgh. Left-hander Jose Quintana (5-2, 2.98) will start for the Brewers at home on Friday in the first of a three-game series against the Rockies.

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