After just five starts, Misiorowski is an All-Star
Brewers rookie Jacob Misiorowski comments on becoming an All-Star after just five starts. Misiorowski was interviewed American Family Field on July 11, 2025.
SEATTLE – The Milwaukee Brewers are the story in the major leagues these days.
They’re also, by record, the game’s best team thanks to a 6-0 shutout of the Seattle Mariners on Monday night, July 21 at T-Mobile Park.
That, combined with losses earlier in the evening by the Detroit Tigers and Chicago Cubs, left Brew City’s finest with a 60-40 record and nifty .600 winning percentage – a tad better than the top team by record in the American League (60-41, .594) and its National League Central Division rival (59-41, .590).
“It doesn’t surprise me,” said starter Brandon Woodruff, who had a big hand in Monday’s outcome. “We’ve got a lot of great guys in this clubhouse, and it’s a fun team. I feel like we say that every year, but this year’s a little bit different in a way.
“We’re just playing good baseball – we’re getting guys on, we’re doing the little things to win baseball games, and that’s what it takes.”
Manager Pat Murphy, meanwhile, had a different take when asked what he thought about the Brewers’ current standing at the top of the heap.
“My reaction is July 21,” he said. “You read into that whatever you’d like. That’s my quote – July 21.”
A four-run outburst by the offense to break up a budding no-hitter by George Kirby in the sixth proved to be the difference, and Woodruff made his third consecutive sparkling start in his return from shoulder surgery as Milwaukee ran its winning streak to 11 games, tied for the second-longest in the regular season in franchise history.
The Brewers also won 11 straight from June 22-July 3, 2021. A 12-game winning streak from Sept. 23-Oct. 12, 2018 included four postseason victories.
“Team Streak” rattled off 13 straight wins from April 6-20 to open the 1987 season.
Their 60-40 mark ties a franchise best through the first 100 games of a season (also 1979), and it’s the latest in a season Milwaukee has owned the best record in the majors since 1982 – yep, the World Series year.
“Tomorrow’s a new day,” Woodruff said. “You come in and try to win tomorrow and keep it going. But man, we’re having fun.
“It’s been a blast.”
Offense finally breaks through in the sixth
Kirby recorded an impressive 11 ground-ball outs through the first five innings and actually took a no-hitter into the sixth, with a diving play up the middle robbing Anthony Seigler of a single for the first out of the frame.
But quickly, things turned.
Joey Ortiz followed by singling just over the glove of shortstop JP Crawford in short left, then Brice Turang doubled. Third-base coach Jason Lane played it conservatively by holding Ortiz at third, and a batter later William Contreras sent a sacrifice fly to right that scored him.
Then came three consecutive two-out hits – a Christian Yelich single, a Jackson Chourio double that extended his career-high hitting streak to 15 games and Isaac Collins single – and within the span of seven batters a scoreless game had turned into 4-0 Brewers lead.
“Once we got that one hit, it goes back to passing the bat and making sure the next guy gets up and the next guy,” said Ortiz. “You see how it strung out – everybody in the lineup got an at-bat and we put up four runs and just like that, it’s how quickly it happens.”
More pecking away from Murphy’s Woodpeckers, who tacked on a couple insurance runs in the eighth on a Yelich chopper that reliever Brandyn Garcia threw away and a Chourio single.
“You have to stack them,” Murphy said of the productive at-bats. “That’s how you get crooked numbers, if you stack them. Kirby was great. He’s a pitcher. He shoved it on us.
“A win for the Fighting Woodpeckers.”
Brandon Woodruff was terrific once again
As well as Kirby threw early, Woodruff was just as good.
A four-pitch first helped set the tone, and he maintained that efficiency throughout with Seattle reaching base only three times against him, on a hit by pitch and a couple singles.
Woodruff then struck out the first two batters in a 1-2-3 sixth that proved to be his last frame despite his pitch count sitting at only 62. After the game it was revealed that Woodruff felt the beginnings of a cramp in that final inning, leaving Murphy to hand the ball to Aaron Ashby for the seventh.
“Big Woo, man. It’s just great to see him come back like this,” Murphy said. “He’s a better pitcher than he ever was without the same stuff, but the stuff is trending up too at the right time. Innings 3-4-5, even inning six his stuff was really good. Just so happy for him.
“He’s pitching. He used to just throw that angry fastball. Now, he’s pitching ahead in the count and they come out swinging.”
Woodruff (2-0) didn’t issue a walk, struck out five and twice hit 96.2 mph on the radar gun.
He was asked afterward if he thought his first start back, on July 6 at Miami, would serve as the springboard for this magical 11-game (and counting?) winning streak.
“No, I did not, and I’m proud to be a part of it,” he said. “It’s fun when you’re winning. Each and every day you come to the field, your mind doesn’t want to go, ‘When’s it going to stop?’ I think we’re in a spot now where we’re continuing to play good baseball. Hope to keep it going.
“But it’s been fun. I just want to blend in and be a part of it.”
Ashby ended up pitching two innings, and after allowing a leadoff single in the ninth Grant Anderson took over and finished off Milwaukee’s 10th shutout of the year (the Brewers tied for fourth-most in the majors with 10 total in 2024).
Joey Ortiz wows with the glove
While Ortiz’s single in the sixth got things started, it was his glove that delivered the play of the game.
With runners on first and third and two outs in the eighth, the speedy Julio RodrÃguez hit a bouncer toward the hole that Ortiz ranged over and fielded with a backhand.
Then, in one motion, he turned and fired an off-balance strike on the fly to Andrew Vaughn at first base that warded off any thoughts of a comeback by the Mariners and kept the shutout intact.
“Just making sure it’s a good enough throw to where Vaughn has to pick it, or it’s straight on a line,” Ortiz said. “With Julio running you’ve got to get rid of it quick, and luckily I was able to put a good throw on the bag.”
It was one of a string of strong defensive plays turned in by Ortiz recently.
“How about Ortiz? The kid’s been incredible defensively,” Murphy offered up. “Play after play after play. Really happy for the kid. It’s up there. I mean, it’s just been like one after another – coming forward, going to his left, going to his right. The backhand and the flip.
“I mean, he’s got to get some consideration for being a great shortstop, that’s for sure.”
What time is the Brewers game tonight?
Time: 8:40 p.m. CT.
What channel is the Brewers game on tonight?
TV channel: FanDuel Sports Wisconsin.
Brewers lineup
- Brice Turang 2B
- William Contreras C
- Christian Yelich DH
- Jackson Chourio RF
- Isaac Collins LF
- Andrew Vaughn 1B
- Blake Perkins CF
- Anthony Seigler 3B
- Joey Ortiz SS
Mariners lineup
- JR Crawford SS
- Julio RodrÃguez CF
- Cal Raleigh C
- Randy Arozarena LF
- Jorge Polanco DH
- Luke Raley 1B
- Dominic Canzone RF
- Ben Williamson 3B
- Cole Young 2B
Brewers schedule
Brewers at Mariners, July 22 8:40 p.m. CT: Milwaukee RHP Jacob Misiorowski (4-1, 2.81) vs. Seattle RHP Logan Gilbert (2-3, 3.39). TV – FanDuel Sports Wisconsin. Radio – AM-620 WTMJ.
Brewers at Mariners, July 23 2:40 p.m. CT: Milwaukee RHP Quinn Priester (8-2, 3.33) vs. Seattle RHP Luis Castillo (7-5, 3.21). TV – FanDuel Sports Wisconsin. Radio – AM-620 WTMJ.
