In a remarkable display of skill and poise, Pittsburgh Pirates rookie Paul Skenes turned heads with his pitching prowess against the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night. The game, which culminated in a tense 2-1 victory for the Pirates, saw Skenes pitch 6 1/3 scoreless innings, leaving even the Cardinals’ fans in awe, told The Washington Post.
From the onset, Skenes was in control, starting the game by striking out Masyn Winn and Alec Burleson with his sharp breaking pitches. His performance only grew stronger as the innings progressed, managing to keep the Cardinals at bay with a mix of overpowering fastballs and cunning curveballs. Paul Goldschmidt, a formidable batter, lined out to end a challenging inning, setting the tone for what was to become a pitchers’ duel.
Despite the Cardinals managing to secure four hits off Skenes over the next five innings, none translated into runs. The rookie’s night concluded dramatically when Nolan Arenado doubled, marking Skenes’ 103rd pitch and prompting Pirates manager Derek Shelton to call on Aroldis Chapman to close the inning. The change was met with a standing ovation from the St. Louis crowd, acknowledging Skenes’ mastery on the mound.
Skenes’ impressive line for the night included eight strikeouts and no walks, with 74 of his 103 pitches hitting the strike zone. This performance brought his season-long ERA down to 2.43 across five starts, spanning 33 1/3 innings.
On the other side, Cardinals starter Miles Mikolas matched the intensity, pitching six no-hit innings before allowing a leadoff triple in the seventh. However, the Pirates could not capitalize on this opportunity. Mikolas ended his stint with just one hit and one walk allowed, alongside six strikeouts.
The deadlock was finally broken in the ninth inning when the Pirates pushed across two runs. The Cardinals responded with a solo home run by Nolan Gorman in the bottom of the ninth, adding tension to the final moments. However, closer David Bednar managed to stave off further scoring, securing a nail-biting win for the Pirates by striking out Michael Siani to end the game.
Tuesday’s game not only highlighted Skenes’ growing reputation as a formidable pitcher but also underscored the competitive spirit and high level of play in this tight matchup. As the season progresses, all eyes will surely be on this talented rookie to see if he can maintain his impressive form.