Brewers split a July 3 doubleheader with the Mets. Joey Ortiz's grand slam sealed a 7-2 win, but rookie Jacob Misiorowski took his first loss in a 7-3 defeat.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was a day of soaring highs and humbling lows at Citi Field as the Milwaukee Brewers split a thrilling doubleheader with the New York Mets. The Crew showcased its explosive potential with a dominant 7-2 victory in the opener, powered by a massive Joey Ortiz grand slam. But the nightcap brought a dose of reality, as rookie phenom Jacob Misiorowski was tagged with his first career loss in a 7-3 defeat, reminding everyone that the road to stardom has its bumps.
Jacob Misiorowski entered the game having set a modern-era record by allowing as many hits as wins (3) through his first three starts.
The afternoon belonged to the Brewers, who put on an offensive and pitching clinic in the 7-2 win. Freddy Peralta was simply masterful, carving up the Mets lineup for six innings of two-hit ball to earn his fourth straight victory and improve to 9-4. But the big story was the offense. After Sal Frelick kicked things off with his first career leadoff homer, the Crew broke a 2-2 tie in the sixth inning in the most dramatic way possible. Joey Ortiz, who has been grinding at the plate, stepped up with the bases loaded and launched a go-ahead grand slam, his sixth of the year. The dugout erupted, and the game was effectively sealed. As if that wasn't enough, rookie Isaac Collins had a career day, going a perfect 4-for-4 with a home run and a walk, proving to be a sparkplug at the bottom of the order.
The nightcap served as a 'welcome to the big leagues' moment for Jacob Misiorowski. After three stellar starts to begin his career, the hard-throwing righty finally looked human. He suffered his first loss (3-1), surrendering five runs in 3 2/3 innings. The big blow came on a second-inning grand slam by Brandon Nimmo, followed immediately by a Francisco Lindor solo shot. Despite the tough line, Misiorowski still flashed the electric stuff fans have come to love, touching 102 mph on the radar gun. It's a learning experience for the 23-year-old, whose potential remains sky-high. The Brewers' offense tried to claw back, with Christian Yelich and Jackson Chourio hitting back-to-back homers in the sixth, but it wasn't enough to overcome the early deficit in the 7-3 loss.
With the series tied 1-1, all eyes turn to Thursday's rubber match. In a juicy bit of scheduling, left-hander Jose Quintana (6-2, 3.30 ERA) will get the start for Milwaukee against his former team. Quintana spent the last two seasons with the Mets and will surely be motivated to deliver a strong performance at his old stomping grounds. He'll be facing off against Mets lefty David Peterson (5-4, 3.30 ERA) in a battle of pitchers with identical ERAs. It's the perfect setup to decide a hard-fought series.
A doubleheader split on the road is never a bad outcome, and the Brewers showed why they're a force to be reckoned with. The bats are alive, the top of the rotation is dealing, and the kids are more than alright. Now, it's all about taking the rubber match. With former Met Jose Quintana on the hill, tomorrow's finale has all the makings of a must-watch game. Let's go get that series win.
