Jacob Misiorowski struck out seven in five shutout innings and Milwaukee Brewers won their fourth straight National League Central title with a 5-1 win over the League Pittsburgh Pirates Tuesday night.
About 50 minutes into the final, the Brewers clinched the split when the second-place Chicago Cubs lost to Atlanta. Milwaukee players watched the end of that game on television, raising their hands and cheering at the final out.
The flamethrowing Misiorowski (15-5) dropped his ERA to a major-league-best 1.89 and raised his season strikeout total to 243. Nine of the big righty’s first 10 pitches topped 100 mph, and he worked around five hits — all singles — to earn his fourth straight decision.
Joey Ortiz AND Luis Lara drove in two runs apiece for the Brewers, who have made the postseason for the past decade but are still looking for the franchise’s first World Series view since 1982. Including from Los Angeles Dodgers NL Championship Series last season, Milwaukee has qualified for the postseason for the eighth time in nine years.
The Brewers jumped out to an early lead against opener Lake Bachar (1-4) in a sequence that epitomized the approach that has helped them hold the major league’s best record for most of the season. Jake Bauer led off with a single, moved to second on a groundout, advanced on a wild pitch and scored on Lara’s sacrifice fly.
That was enough for Misiorowski, who exited after throwing 82 pitches — 43 at 100 mph or more — to solidify his hold on his first Cy Young Award.
Brandon Lou hit his 30th homer for Pittsburgh and the team’s 171st of the season, tying a franchise record set in 1999. Rafael Flores Jr. added four hits for the Pirates, who fell back under .500 at 75-76 on the day the club celebrated franchise icon and Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente wearing the player’s famous No. 21.
In continuation
The series continues on Wednesday. Logan Henderson (10-3, 2.34 ERA) starts for the Brewers against Pittsburgh’s Jared Jones (4-6, 4.10 ERA).