DENVER -- The Rockies’ Tyler Freeman can vouch that taking 98.2 mph off the side of the batting helmet is frightening enough.
In pitching the Brewers to a 7-1 victory over the Rockies at Coors Field on Saturday night, Brewers star righty pitcher Jacob Misiorowski threw a whopping 45 pitches at least 101 mph -- a record since official pitch tracking began in 2008. Misiorowski’s 52 pitches of at least 100 mph was surpassed in this era only by the 57 he uncorked on May 25 against the Cardinals.
It would be a stretch to say Freeman was lucky in the sixth inning because the pitch was a cutter, and therefore a few miles per hour slower than the fastball that makes Misiorowski one of the game’s scariest pitchers.
Still, 98.2 is quite dangerous. Freeman rose quickly to his feet and received attention in the batter’s box, as Misiorowski stooped remorsefully behind the mound. The Rockies immediately removed Freeman.
Manager Warren Schaeffer said Freeman “took it about as good as anybody. … Obviously, it didn’t feel good, but he’s fine.” Freeman was under observation and was not made available for postgame interviews.
But multiple teammates said Freeman, who can spark the team with stingy at-bats and occasional power, escaped serious injury. Troy Johnston added levity.
“They were talking about amputating his head, but I think they advised against that,” Johnston said. “Other than that, he’s fine, seems in good spirits.
“He’s a team guy. He’s one of the guys that will go out there and crowd the plate, and get hit with 100 if he needs to do it.”
Not that anyone wants to spark a rally that way, but Misiorowski was not as locked in for a few batters. Kyle Karros, who delivered an RBI double in the fifth, understood.
“It was super scary,” Karros said. “I hate to see it. I feel bad for both guys involved. Obviously, Miz wasn’t trying to do that. But it’s part of the game. Free is going to be all right, but scary stuff, no doubt.”
The hit batsman, on the heels of Jake McCarthy’s sixth-inning leadoff infield single, occurred with the Brewers leading, 2-1. It gave the Rockies their best chance to flip the game to their favor against Misiorowski – a second-year pitcher whose 1.50 ERA puts him on the early National League Cy Young Award shortlist, and is a key reason the Brewers lead the NL Central.
“Usually, if you’re going to get an opportunity against a guy like that, a frontline guy, it’s usually going to be one shot at him to cash in,” Schaeffer said.
Misiorowski -- whose 0.20 ERA over his last seven starts is the third-lowest over any seven-start period since ERA became an official stat in 1913 (Bob Gibson 0.14 and Don Drysdale 0.15, both in 1968) -- had to lock back into his task.
“Obviously I don't want that to happen … lost the ball, lost grip on it,” Misiorowski said. “Obviously, not aiming for him. There's also the moment, I'm standing behind the mound trying to pray for him a little bit."
Possibly disrupted by the incident, Misiorowski issued a one-out walk to Hunter Goodman to load the bases. But Johnston – whose .400 average with runners in scoring position leads the NL -- lifted a fly ball to left field that was not deep enough to drive in McCarthy.
“I’m working through some swing changes right now, trying to work on being more on-time and being in a good spot,” Johnston said. “That at-bat and the last couple of days, I have not been in a good spot to hit. But I’ve got the confidence and I’m swinging at good pitches. I’ve got that going for me, and I’m really close to being able to drive in those runs.”
Then Misiorowski forced a grounder to second base from Ezequiel Tovar and celebrated the end of the long inning.
Against Misiorowski, the Rockies managed one run on four hits and struck out eight times. They walked three times. But the sixth-inning opportunity went begging and the Brewers made them pay with five runs over the next two innings.