NEW YORK – Jacob Misiorowski made everything look so easy in his first three major league starts.
Now he knows it's not.
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The hard-throwing rookie finally got knocked around Wednesday, serving up back-to-back homers as the Milwaukee Brewers lost 7-3 to the New York Mets in the second game of a day-night doubleheader at Citi Field.
Barely touched by opposing batters since getting called up from the minors last month, Misiorowski (3-1) gave up five runs, five hits and three walks over 3 2/3 innings in his fourth career outing. Brandon Nimmo connected for a grand slam in the second and a slumping Francisco Lindor followed with another longball off Misiorowski to give the Mets a 5-0 lead.
“He wasn’t in sync tonight, for sure. You could see it early. He’d have it for one pitch and then you could just see the ball wasn’t coming out of his fingers the same. You could see the frustration building," Brewers manager Pat Murphy said.
“That’s too good of a team and too good of a lineup. (These are) the days you realize how good these guys are, all major league players. It’s so tough to perform at the highest level and be consistent. But when you’re off a little bit, it can be the difference, and Miz just wasn’t in sync.”
A touted prospect, the 6-foot-7 Misiorowski had more than lived up to the hype since his arrival.
He began his career with 11 hitless innings and then a scoreless start in a win over Pirates ace Paul Skenes before a crowd of 42,774 in Milwaukee last week. The 23-year-old right-hander carried a perfect game into the seventh June 20 at Minnesota and racked up 19 strikeouts in his first 16 big league innings.
“He has amazing stuff,” Nimmo said.
Misiorowski threw 62 pitches at least 100 mph in his first three games, and opposing batters were 3 for 49 (.061) against him — making him the first pitcher in the modern era (since 1900) to have as many wins as hits allowed through three career starts.
“He's really good. Crazy future ahead of him,” Lindor said. “It's going to be fun to watch him and fun to play against him.”
But on this night, Misiorowski walked consecutive batters with two outs in the second and was unable to corral a high comebacker off the bat of No. 9 hitter Hayden Senger.
The ball glanced off Misiorowski's glove and spun away from second baseman Brice Turang for an infield single that loaded the bases.
“There was a fastball at the bottom of the zone for a walk that I thought was there. But I thought, good spot, and maybe get it up a little bit more," Misiorowski said. "Just frustrated at myself for not making a play.”
Nimmo pulled the next pitch, a 96 mph slider, to right field for his third career slam and second this season. Lindor then drove a 1-2 fastball to right-center for his 17th home run.
“I threw good pitches and they hit ’em. Plain and simple as that," Misiorowski said. "I mean, you’re facing the best of the best. They’re getting paid what they’re getting paid for a reason.”
Misiorowski said his problem was mechanical.
“My fingers were just a little too far on the right side of the ball, and it kind of spun a little different than I’m used to," he said. “I think I came back pretty well after that. ... I fixed it that next inning.”
Murphy said Misiorowski didn't feel good while warming up in the bullpen, and that carried over to the game.
“His whole body was not in sync,” the manager explained. “All the arms and legs, it’s hard to sync it all up.”
Misiorowski came out firing 100 mph fastballs, touching 102 mph against Lindor in the first inning — but it didn’t last.
“He learned his lesson. He’s ticked about it. Even some of the sequencing he’s ticked about,” Murphy said. “He can see it that there’s just a really fine line between being dominant and being just OK.”
Misiorowski, however, won't dwell on this disappointment.
“It’s done. Use the old Tiger Woods approach and move on to the next hit. Move on to the next pitch. It is what it is. I got a loss but, oh well,” he said. "It’s frustrating. But at the same time like, young career, it’s good figuring it out now. Not when we’re in the playoffs and it matters most.”
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb