MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jacob Misiorowski struck out 11 while allowing one run over five innings and the Milwaukee Brewers trounced the Chicago White Sox 14-2 on Thursday.
Misiorowski, Aaron Ashby, Grant Anderson, DL Hall and Jake Woodford combined to strike out 20 while allowing four hits and five walks.
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Chicago White Sox's Chase Meidroth reacts after hitting a home run in the first inning of an opening-day baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)
Milwaukee Brewers' William Contreras hits a three-run double during the second inning of an opening-day baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)
Chicago White Sox's Chase Meidroth runs the bases after hitting a home run during the first inning of an opening-day baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski throws during the first inning of an opening-day baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski reacts after striking out Chicago White Sox's Andrew Benintendi during the first inning of an opening-day baseball game, Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)
According to Sportradar, Chicago's 20 strikeouts matched the highest total ever for a nine-inning game. It was the 10th time a team has struck out 20 times in a nine-inning game, and the first since Pittsburgh in a 7-3 loss to the New York Mets on Sept. 18, 2022.
Jake Bauers hit a three-run homer, Sal Frelick had a two-run blast and William Contreras delivered a three-run double as the Brewers began their pursuit of a fourth straight NL Central title.
Chase Meidroth and Munetaka Murakami hit solo shots for the White Sox.
Misiorowski, who turns 24 on April 3, got the opening day assignment following an eventful rookie season in which he made the NL All-Star team just five starts into his career and threw as hard as 104.3 mph in the playoffs. His 11 strikeouts were the most by a Brewers pitcher in a season opener.
He began Thursday’s game by allowing a homer to Meidroth before striking out the next three batters. Misiorowski (1-0) reached a top speed of 101.1 mph while combining with four relievers on a four-hitter.
Milwaukee pulled ahead for good by scoring four runs in the second inning off Shane Smith, who pitched in the Brewers’ farm system before Chicago selected him in the Rule 5 draft in December 2024. Contreras capped that rally with his bases-clearing, two-out double down the left-field line.
Smith (0-1) allowed four runs — three earned — in 1 2/3 innings.
Chicago's bullpen didn't fare any better. Milwaukee scored two runs in the fourth, two more in the fifth and three each in the sixth and seventh.
Frelick sent a 407-foot shot over the right-field wall against Tyler Gilbert in the fifth. Chicago's Jordan Hicks and Jedixson Paez issued bases-loaded walks in the sixth. Bauers homered in the seventh off Paez.
Bauer started in left field in place of Jackson Chourio, who went on the injured list Thursday with a fractured left hand.
Murakami led off the ninth by homering to right off Woodford. The Japanese slugger went 1 for 2 with a pair of walks in his MLB debut.
Sean Burke (4-11, 4.22 ERA last year) starts for Chicago and Chad Patrick (3-8, 3.53) pitches for Milwaukee when the series resumes Saturday.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
Chicago White Sox's Chase Meidroth reacts after hitting a home run in the first inning of an opening-day baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)
Milwaukee Brewers' William Contreras hits a three-run double during the second inning of an opening-day baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)
Chicago White Sox's Chase Meidroth runs the bases after hitting a home run during the first inning of an opening-day baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski throws during the first inning of an opening-day baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski reacts after striking out Chicago White Sox's Andrew Benintendi during the first inning of an opening-day baseball game, Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)
Italy finally won a match in the World Cup playoffs. Now the four-time champion needs to win one more to avoid failing to qualify for a third straight time.
The Azzurri beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in the European semifinals on Thursday.
Sandro Tonali broke the deadlock with a half-volley early in the second half for Italy at home in Bergamo and then set up another goal for Moise Kean.
“After taking the lead, we cleared our minds,” Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso said. “We put in a good performance. This should be a confidence boost for Tuesday. … We have to win. We have no other choice."
Also advancing to the playoff finals scheduled for Tuesday were Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sweden, Poland, Turkey, Kosovo, Denmark and the Czech Republic.
Italy next visits Bosnia and Herzegovina needing another victory to reach the upcoming tournament in North America and avoid going at least 16 years without even playing a match at soccer’s biggest event.
Bosnia beat Wales, and the Czech Republic beat Ireland in penalty shootouts.
The other finals matchups are: Sweden vs. Poland; Turkey vs. Kosovo; and Denmark vs. the Czech Republic.
Italy was eliminated by Sweden over two winless legs in the playoffs for the 2018 World Cup then was stunned by North Macedonia in the semifinal round in 2022.
Italy’s World Cup struggles go back all the way to 2010 and 2014, having failed to advance from its group on both occasions.
The Azzurri’s last World Cup knockout match was when they won the title in 2006 by beating France in a penalty shootout.
Italy produced seven shots on goal while Northern Ireland had none.
For the second goal, Tonali's cross-field pass set up Kean, who made an expert control and finish.
“We didn’t have many moments of quality, but we did well to make the most of them when we did,” Tonali said. “We focused on not giving them their strengths and were concentrated on the set plays, so when we do that, it’s unlikely we’ll concede to this kind of team.
“We’ve been feeling positive since the coach arrived, we’ve got to continue like this, there’s no other option but to win,” Tonali said of Gattuso, who replaced the fired Luciano Spalletti in June.
Viktor Gyökeres hit a hat trick to send Sweden past Ukraine 3-1 despite not having scored for his country since 2024. Until Thursday, Gyökeres was scoreless and Sweden winless in a miserable qualifying group campaign.
The game was played in Spain because Ukraine hasn’t hosted international games since the Russian invasion of 2022.
“Viktor Gyökeres made the difference tonight,” Ukraine coach Serhiy Rebrov said. “He showed his quality and proved he’s one of the best strikers in Europe.”
Sweden will face Poland after 37-year-old Robert Lewandowski scored a crucial header in a 2-1 win over Albania, keeping alive the Barcelona striker’s bid to reach a third World Cup.
Albania took the lead through Arber Hoxha just before halftime after a defensive blunder by Poland. Lewandowski’s header at a corner got his team back into the game before Piotr Zielinski’s goal put Poland in front.
Kosovo is a game away from its first-ever World Cup after twice recovering from a goal down to upset Slovakia 4-3. That sets up a playoff with Turkey for a World Cup spot.
Gustav Isaksen scored twice in two minutes in a Denmark’s 4-0 win over North Macedonia.
Bosnia advanced after 40-year-old Edin Dzeko leveled the score and 18-year-old Kerim Alajbegovic converted the winning spot-kick in a 4-2 penalty shootout win over Wales following a 1-1 draw.
The Czech Republic awaits next for Denmark after beating Ireland 4-3 on penalties. Ireland gave up an early 2-0 lead in the game, and was also leading the shootout before failing to convert either of its last two attempts.
In an early match, Turkey beat Romania 1-0 and will face either Slovakia or Kosovo for a spot at its first World Cup since a third-place run in 2002.
Turkey took the lead shortly after the break when Ferdi Kadioglu was set up in front of the goal with a long, accurate pass from Arda Guler, a 21-year-old winger for Real Madrid who could become one of the World Cup's younger standouts.
Vincenzo Montella’s Turkey squad reached the quarterfinals of the 2024 European Championship.
Romania’s elimination means that 80-year-old Mircea Lucescu won’t get a chance to coach at the World Cup for the first time. Lucescu captained Romania at the 1970 World Cup. He previously coached Turkey.
Nicolae Stanciu hit the post for Romania in the second half in Istanbul.
“We knew it would be a tough match. Lucescu knows us well and prepared accordingly," Turkey captain Hakan Calhanoglu said. "In the first half, we could have made better runs in behind. In the second half, Ferdi scored with a ball in behind. ... From then, it was ours.”
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso celebrates after the World Cup qualifying play-off soccer match between Italy and Northern Ireland, in Bergamo, Italy, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
Italy's Moise Kean celebrates scoring his side's second goal during the World Cup qualifying play-off soccer match between Italy and Northern Ireland, in Bergamo, Italy, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
Sweden's Viktor Gyokeres, top, and Ukraine's goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin challenge for the ball during a World Cup playoff semifinal soccer match between Ukraine and Sweden in Valencia, Spain, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)
Italy's Moise Kean, left, and teammate Francesco Pio Esposito, right, celebrate after Kean scored his side's second goal during the World Cup qualifying play-off soccer match between Italy and Northern Ireland, in Bergamo, Italy, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
Italy's Sandro Tonali celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the World Cup qualifying play-off soccer match between Italy and Northern Ireland, in Bergamo, Italy, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
Wales' Daniel James celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the World Cup playoff semifinal soccer match between Wales and Bosnia and Herzegovina in Cardiff, Wales, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (David Davies/PA via AP)
FILE - Ireland's Troy Parrott, right, celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the World Cup 2026 group F qualifying soccer match between Hungary and Ireland in Budapest, Hungary, Nov. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos, File)
Italy's Sandro Tonali celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the World Cup qualifying play-off soccer match between Italy and Northern Ireland, in Bergamo, Italy, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
Italy's Sandro Tonali, right, scores his side's first goal during the World Cup qualifying play-off soccer match between Italy and Northern Ireland, in Bergamo, Italy, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
Teammates run towards Italy's Sandro Tonali, left, who scored his side's first goal during the World Cup qualifying play-off soccer match between Italy and Northern Ireland, in Bergamo, Italy, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
Romania's head coach Mircea Lucescu follows the action during the 2026 World Cup playoff semifinal soccer match between Turkey and Romania, in Istanbul, Turkey, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo)
Turkey's Ferdi Kadioglu, left, and Arda Guler celebrate at the end of the 2026 World Cup playoff semifinal soccer match between Turkey and Romania, in Istanbul, Turkey, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo)
Italy's Sandro Tonali, left, and Italy's Riccardo Calafiori warm up prior to the World Cup qualifying play-off soccer match between Italy and Northern Ireland, in Bergamo, Italy, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
Italian fans wait for the start of the World Cup qualifying play-off soccer match between Italy and Northern Ireland, in Bergamo, Italy, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
Turkish supporters cheer at the stand prior the 2026 World Cup playoff semifinal soccer match between Turkey and Romania, in Istanbul, Turkey, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo)
Romania's head coach Mircea Lucescu gives instructions during the 2026 World Cup playoff semifinal soccer match between Turkey and Romania, in Istanbul, Turkey, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo)
Turkey's Arda Guler grabs the ball during the 2026 World Cup playoff semifinal soccer match between Turkey and Romania, in Istanbul, Turkey, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo)
Wales' Liam Cullen, left, during a training session, in Hensol, England, Wednesday March 25, 2026. (Nick Potts/PA via AP)
Wales' Ben Cabango, left, and Neco Williams during a training session, in Hensol, England, Wednesday March 25, 2026. (Nick Potts/PA via AP)
FILE -Italy's Pio Esposito reacts during the 2026 World Cup Group I qualifier soccer match between Italy and Norway in Milan, Italy, Nov. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno, File)
FILE -Italy's head coach Gennaro Gattuso gestures during the 2026 World Cup Group I qualifier soccer match between Italy and Norway in Milan, Italy, Nov. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno, File)
