Garrett Mitchell and William Contreras had two-run homers and hard-throwing Jacob Misiorowski allowed one run over six innings to pace the Milwaukee Brewers to a 6-2 victory over the visiting Chicago Cubs on Friday in the opener of the three-game National League Central showdown series.
Misiorowski (9-3) allowed two hits, including a solo homer by Seiya Suzuki, striking out eight and walking four. Misiorowski, who set a major league record for starters with a first-inning fastball clocked at 105.5 mph, boosted his major league-leading strikeout total to 146 and kept his majors-best ERA at 1.45.
After being stymied by Chicago starter Colin Rea, the Brewers broke through against the bullpen for three runs in the sixth to erase a 1-0 deficit.
Contreras singled to open the inning and Jake Bauers walked, chasing Rea. Ethan Roberts (0-2) entered and snared Andrew Vaughn’s scorching liner, doubling Contreras off second. Mitchell then sent a 1-0 pitch 407 feet to right-center. Cooper Pratt walked and David Hamilton followed with an RBI triple to make it 3-1.
Contreras put the Brewers up 5-1 in the seventh with a homer, his ninth, off Jayden Murray.
Suzuki made it 5-2 in the eighth with a sacrifice fly off Aaron Ashby, who walked the first two hitters. Christian Yelich answered with an RBI double in the bottom half of the inning.
The division-leading Brewers moved 7 1/2 games ahead of the Cubs. Milwaukee moved a season-high 21 games above .500 and improved to 12-3 against division opponents this season, including 11 consecutive wins.
Misiorowski did not allow a hit and faced the minimum until Suzuki opened the fifth with his 11th homer, sending a full-count slider 409 feet to center to put the Cubs up 1-0.
Misiorowski struck out the first two hitters in the sixth before Alex Bregman singled and Michael Busch walked. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch and Suzuki walked to load the bases, but Misiorowski fanned Ian Happ on a 102.8 mph fastball, ending his 107-pitch outing.
Misiorowski had nine pitches of 103 mph or higher in the first inning.
Rea, who allowed one run on five hits in five-plus innings, escaped several jams over five scoreless innings.
The Brewers left the bases loaded in the first and stranded two other runners at third.
