MILWAUKEE — When Jacob Misiorowski takes the mound for the Brewers in 2026, the recipe for success has generally been straightforward: relax and let Misiorowski dominate. However, Game 1 of the NLDS on Saturday against the San Diego Padres didn’t unfold like most of his regular-season starts.
The Padres jumped on Misiorowski early, forcing Milwaukee’s ace to labor through innings. With San Diego’s hitters fouling off numerous pitches instead of striking out, Misiorowski’s pitch count soared to 67 by the third inning, indicating a shorter outing than usual. Despite setting another record, Misiorowski struggled to find his best form.
With their star pitcher off his usual pace, the Brewers needed to find another way to win. Their 3-2 victory over the Padres came through an approach not typical for Milwaukee. While the Brewers are known for their ability to score runs—ranking second overall in MLB this season—they don’t usually rely on home runs, as they finished last in the National League in long balls.
Still, trailing 2-0 in the third inning and watching their ace struggle, the Brewers needed a big hit. Young star Jackson Chourio, who has a knack for coming through in clutch moments, delivered. Chourio blasted a no-doubt, two-run homer off Padres starter Robbie Ray, electrifying a quiet American Family Field crowd and tying the game at 2-2. This marked Chourio’s fifth career postseason home run, making him the franchise’s all-time leader in playoff homers. He now boasts a 1.061 OPS across 13 playoff appearances—all impressive for a 22-year-old.
“It makes me happy to know that,” Chourio said with a smile. “I just hope I hit a lot more.”
Chourio’s homer was a crucial turning point, swinging momentum back toward Milwaukee and giving Misiorowski just enough energy to get through the fourth inning. It wasn’t the dominant outing the Brewers expected, but he limited the Padres to two runs.
“We’re trying to battle them, and they were fouling stuff off,” Misiorowski explained. “You have to adjust and try mixing it up until something sticks.”
After both starters exited following the fourth inning, two strong bullpens took over in a tightly contested, low-scoring game. By the seventh inning, still tied 2-2, another key Brewers hitter was called to step up.
The challenge was that this moment came against one of baseball’s top relievers, Adrian Morejón. After Morejón quickly recorded two outs in the bottom of the seventh, catcher William Contreras came to the plate. On a full count, Morejón fired his fastest pitch of the night, a 100.1-mph sinker, but left it over the plate. Contreras launched the ball 406 feet to right-center, rounding the bases with a leisurely home run trot that energized the Brewers’ dugout and gave Milwaukee a 3-2 lead.
“These are the games I live for,” Contreras said. “Close games with the fans bringing that adrenaline—they give me energy.”
Chourio praised his teammate, calling Contreras a “very special player” who impacts the game on both offense and defense.
Contreras’ go-ahead homer proved to be the game-winner as the Brewers’ bullpen held firm through the ninth despite some drama. Milwaukee claimed their first postseason victory with all their runs coming via homers. Now just two wins away from securing a spot in the NLCS for a second consecutive year, the Brewers know the Padres will be a tough opponent throughout the series.
“I think you’re going to see a lot of close games,” Brewers closer Trevor Megill said after his four-out save. “That’s what it’s been and probably will be.”
Fan Take: This game showcased the resilience and dynamic potential of the Brewers, with young stars like Misiorowski, Chourio, and Contreras stepping up in high-pressure moments. For baseball fans, this sets the stage for an electrifying postseason filled with close contests and rising young talent redefining the future of the sport.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
