Misiorowski dominates before departing MLB debut with leg cramps as Brewers blank Cardinals 6-0

MILWAUKEE (AP) - Jacob Misiorowski pitched five no-hit innings before leaving his major league debut with cramping in his right calf and quadriceps as the Milwaukee Brewers defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 6-0 on Thursday night.

Misiorowski (1-0) slipped on the front part of the mound after throwing his third pitch of the sixth. After medical staff went to check on him, he was removed in favor of Nick Mears.

The 6-foot-7 right-hander finished his dominant debut with five strikeouts and four walks while reaching a maximum velocity of 102.2 mph with his fastball.

The Cardinals didn’t get their first hit until Willson Contreras grounded a single up the middle against Aaron Ashby leading off the seventh. They finished with three hits.

Ashby worked the final three innings to earn his third career save and first since 2022.

St. Louis right-hander Sonny Gray (7-2) entered having allowed three runs over his last four starts, but he couldn't make it out of the fifth inning in this one.

Jackson Chourio’s two-run homer capped Milwaukee’s five-run fifth and knocked Gray out of the game. Sal Frelick had a two-run single.

St. Louis’ Victor Scott was hit in the head by an 80 mph pitch from Ashby in the eighth but remained in the game.

When Gray picked off Isaac Collins after walking him to start the fifth, it appeared the Brewers were wasting a scoring opportunity. But each of the next five batters got hits and eventually scored to break open the game.

Misiorowski threw 14 pitches at least 100 mph. Coming into the game, all Brewers starters had combined for eight pitches 100 mph or more under pitch tracking that began in 2008, according to mlb.com.

The four-game series continues Friday with a matchup of right-handers, as Erick Fedde (3-5, 3.54 ERA) pitches for St. Louis against Freddy Peralta (5-4, 2.69).