CHICAGO -- The Cubs understood that the task in front of them on Tuesday night was a difficult one. Brewers flamethrower Jacob Misiorowski has been lighting up the radar gun to historic levels for a starting pitcher, making any opportunity to score a crucial moment for the lineup facing the righty.
“You’re just going to get less pitches you can handle,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said prior to Tuesday’s game. “When you get those pitches you can handle, the bar is raised in terms of, you’ve got to execute on those pitches.”
The North Siders had a few chances, but Misiorowski proved to be too much for the Cubs in a 5-2 loss at Wrigley Field. Right-hander Ben Brown turned in a decent performance opposite the Brewers’ budding ace, but Chicago’s lineup was not able to break through at all until after Misiorowski’s exit.
With the loss, the Cubs slipped to a half-game back of the Brewers for first place in the National League Central, marking Chicago’s first time out of the top spot since April 30. This is also the first time since April 10-11 that the Cubs have lost back-to-back games at home.
The best chance the Cubs had against Misiorowski came right out of the gates.
Nico Hoerner and Michael Busch -- who occupied the first two spots of Chicago’s lineup, respectively -- watched a combined 11 pitches before finally taking a swing. The result was a leadoff walk for Hoerner, followed by Busch sending a 100.2 mph heater from Misiorowski up the middle, where shortstop David Hamilton could not corral the grounder cleanly.
It was a two-on, none-out opportunity with the heart of the order looming for a Cubs team trying to snap out of a recent funk with runners in scoring position (.136 average across the last nine games). Alex Bregman flew out to center and both Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki struck out, stranding both runners for the North Siders.
Making his third start for the Cubs since moving out of the bullpen, Brown surrendered a run in the first inning when Brice Turang drew a one-out walk and scored via an RBI single by Garrett Mitchell. The Brewers added two more runs in the third off Brown, who had not allowed a run in eight innings in his last two outings combined.
Counsell was able to build Brown up to 82 pitches over his five innings -- after he logged 65 last time out and 46 in his starting debut -- and the righty was able to limit the damage. Brown scattered seven hits and issued two walks, but held the Brewers to a 3-for-12 showing with runners in scoring position.
After Misiorowski left the game, the Cubs rallied against lefty Aaron Ashby in the eighth. Pete Crow-Armstrong (single) and Miguel Amaya (ground-rule double) got things rolling to set up an RBI single from Hoerner. Chicago then loaded the bases with two outs and Suzuki brought another run in with a 108.6 mph infield hit that third baseman Luis Rengifo bobbled.
That was the extent of the Cubs’ late push.
The Cubs saw typically high velocity from Misiorowski, who averaged 99.9 mph with his fastball on the night and topped out at 101.5 mph, per Statcast. That said, that was lower than his recent performances, considering the righty topped 103 mph a dozen times over his previous two starts for Milwaukee.
Still, the North Siders struggled to mount much of an attack in Misiorowski’s six innings.
In the fourth inning, Suzuki sent a two-strike pitch from Misiorowski into right field for a two-out single, ending the pitcher’s bid for a no-hit run at 13 batters. Moisés Ballesteros then flew out to center to end the threat. The Cubs then put the leadoff man aboard in the fifth and sixth -- only to have Misiorowski escape unscathed.