Brewers silence Nationals offense to win 6-1

Jacob Misiorowski was unhittable Friday night.

There was virtually nothing the Nationals’ hitters could do to get a hit. Forget hard contact, the Nationals couldn’t make any.

Over 5 1/3 no-hit innings, Misiorowski was masterful. He dominated the Nationals with his overpowering arsenal and pure stuff that made him a 2025 All-Star after just five career starts, the fewest for an All-Star selection.

The Nationals had no answer for Misiorowski and the Milwaukee Brewers’ pitching staff in Friday’s 6-1 loss. Misiorowski’s 41 pitches of at least 100 mph were the third most in the pitch-tracking era.

“There was a lot of firsts tonight for all of us seeing that in person,” manager Blake Butera said. “It’s impressive. We’ve seen 101 [or] 102 mph out of a reliever, but to see someone do it, and as long as he did it for ... I’ve never seen it.”

Though Misiorowski departed in the sixth with a right hamstring injury, his performance earned him a standing ovation from the scant crowd at Nationals Park.

The Nationals got their first hit in the seventh on left fielder Daylen Lile’s one-out double following CJ Abrams’ walk. They scored their only run when Brady House grounded out to drive in Abrams.

And the Nationals put up a fight. Hitters were selective with their swings and made Misiorowski work by being aggressive against his four-seamer, constantly fouling off pitches to keep at-bats alive.

But there’s only so much you can do when a 100-mph fastball is hurtling at you. The only other starter with multiple games throwing 100 mph or more at least 10 times is Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Bubba Chandler.

“It’s really hard to prepare for somebody like that, especially when they’re in the zone,” Butera said of Misiorowski. “You just have to be very, very picky and stubborn to your approach, which is just hone in on one pitch in one spot and not try to overswing to match the velocity.”

Misiorowski was mystifying the Nationals, including the 98-mph slider he unleashed in the second inning against House.

Facing Misiorowski alters hitters’ expectations. For example, Lile was pleased about his fourth-inning at-bat when he lined out to first baseman Jake Bauers.

“I was just happy to put the ball in play hard against him” said Lile, who went 1-for-3 with a strikeout.

Being on time at the plate was imperative for Misiorowski’s stuff. But there’s no way a Trajekt machine can truly prepare one for someone with Misiorowski’s talents.

This success isn’t surprising for a pitcher of Misiorowski’s standard. He began his career with 11 no-hit innings. When he’s healthy, there are few starters on the planet who can match his ceiling, and that’s the version of Misiorowski that was on display against the Nationals.

Though not nearly as flashy, Nationals starter Jake Irvin grinded through five innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits, with five strikeouts and four walks.

The Brewers were aggressive on Irvin’s curveball — 20 of their 40 swings against him came on that pitch. The Brewers played a ton of left-handed hitters in their lineup, which is why Irvin leaned on the curveball. It has been his most effective pitch this season. Irvin said he’s proud of the work he’s done with coaches to improve the curveball, which is now a significant offering for him.

Entering Friday, Irvin had not allowed a hit on 105 curveballs. In the fifth, Brice Turang and William Contreras recorded the first two hits of the season off it. Bauers walked to load the bases before Irvin induced a groundout that allowed Turang to score and an RBI double by Tyler Black.

“It’s a pitch I’ve always had a lot of confidence in,” Irvin said, “and I think that the rest of the arsenal is just setting it up really well.”

Irvin got Sal Frelick to line out sharply to right field to end the inning.

And though the Brewers tacked on two runs in the eighth, the Nationals’ inability to put pressure on the Brewers’ pitching staff — the Nationals had just five runners in scoring position — was the reason they began their homestand with a loss.

But Misiorowski is a unique talent with impressive physical gifts. Butera said he could tell from the first pitch that Misiorowski was dialed in, and that portended a long night for the Nationals.

“I don’t really have another way to talk about how good of a pitcher he is and how hard that is to face,” Butera said.

This article has been updated.