Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski labors into 5th inning of NLCS opener against Dodgers

MILWAUKEE (AP) — It was a really challenging night for Milwaukee Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski.

The front-runner for the NL Cy Young Award labored just to make it to the fifth inning of the NL Championship Series opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday night.

Los Angeles fouled off 21 of his 94 pitches by the time his final batter, Mookie Betts, reached on a one-out walk in the fifth. The 24-year-old allowed one run and five hits.

The 6-foot-7 right-hander threw 44 pitches at 100 mph or higher, reaching 104 mph on his initial offering to Freddie Freeman in the first. The Dodgers swung at 27 of his 62 fastballs, fouling off 16 and missing just five.

Misiorowski went 16-5 with a major league-low 1.80 ERA in 30 starts this season while averaging 100.6 mph with his four-seam fastball. He also led the majors with 252 strikeouts in 174 2/3 innings.

He struck out five and walked three in his second start this postseason. He tossed four innings of two-run ball in Milwaukee's 3-2 win over San Diego in Game 1 of their NL Division Series on Oct. 3, reaching triple digits on 52 of 88 pitches.

Misiorowski was helped by three inning-ending double plays against Los Angeles, including Kiké Hernández's bouncer to shortstop with the bases loaded in the second.

DL Hall replaced Misiorowski and got Freeman to ground into a double play, delighting the yellow towel-waving crowd of 42,617.

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski throws during Game 1 of baseball's National League Championship Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski leaves the game during the fifth inning of Game 1 of baseball's National League Championship Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kyla Wolf)

Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy, left, pulls pitcher Jacob Misiorowski from the game during the fifth inning of Game 1 of baseball's National League Championship Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski celebrates the end of the fourth innning of Game 1 of baseball's National League Championship Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski reacts to striking out Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani during the third inning of Game 1 of baseball's National League Championship Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

ATLANTA (AP) — John Abraham was prepared for nerves and possibly tears when he was inducted into the Atlanta Falcons' ring of honor at halftime Sunday night against the Baltimore Ravens.

Abraham is the team's all-time leader with 53 1/2 sacks from 2006-12. He completed his career with Arizona but made Atlanta his home and had a large group of family members, including his four daughters, wearing No. 55 Falcons jerseys for the halftime ceremony.

“Man, more nervous than I’ve been when I played,” Abraham said before the game. “When I played, it was more like you had a helmet on so nobody could see you.”

The 48-year-old Abraham also said he kept his sunglasses on “just in case the water works come. Y’all ain’t going to put me on live TV.”

Former Falcons coach Mike Smith, who was with Abraham for five seasons, opened the ceremony and said Abraham was “one of the most feared pass rushers the game has ever seen.”

Abraham began his career with the New York Jets in 2000 and was a five-time Pro Bowl selection and two-time All-Pro — with the Jets in 2001 and Falcons in 2009.

“The best words that Arthur Blank ever told me four years ago, he was like, ‘John, welcome back,’” Abraham said during the ceremony, referring to the team owner.

Abraham was inducted into the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame in 2021 and is a nominee for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2026.

Despite a long list of injuries, Abraham makes a strong case for the pro football hall with his production. He had 133 1/2 sacks in 15 seasons with the Jets, Falcons and Arizona Cardinals.

His 48 career forced fumbles rank third all time. The only two players with more forced fumbles are Robert Mathis (52) and Julius Peppers (51), and each is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Falcons' inaugural ring of honor class in 2004 included quarterback Steve Bartkowski, linebackers Tommy Nobis and Jessie Tuggle and running back William Andrews. In 2024, Blank and quarterback Matt Ryan, now the team's president of football operations, were inducted.

Other inductees include Todd McClure, Roddy White, Warrick Dunn, Gerald Riggs, Deion Sanders, Mike Kenn, Claude Humphrey and Jeff Van Note, who died at 80 on Oct. 2. There was a moment of silence observed for Van Note before the game.

Dunn and White presented Abraham with his red jacket.

Former offensive lineman Bill Fralic will be posthumously inducted into the rind of honor when Atlanta hosts Tampa Bay in Week 16. Fralic was 56 when he died in 2018.

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Former Atlanta Falcons defensive end John Abraham gets a hug during his Ring of Honor Induction Ceremony during halftime of an NFL football game between the Falcons and the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Former Atlanta Falcons defensive end John Abraham speaks during his Ring of Honor Induction Ceremony during halftime of an NFL football game between the Falcons and the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Former Atlanta Falcons defensive end John Abraham speaks during his Ring of Honor Induction Ceremony during halftime of an NFL football game between the Falcons and the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)