Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes didn’t secure a no-hitter on Tuesday night, but he still etched his name into franchise history with a dominant performance.
The reigning National League Cy Young Award winner was at his best against the Colorado Rockies, tossing eight shutout innings in a 3-1 victory at PNC Park.
Skenes opened the game in scorching fashion, striking out the first six batters he faced. He fanned the side again in the sixth inning and didn’t surrender a hit until the seventh, when Mickey Moniak broke through with a one-out single.
After finishing the eighth, Skenes handed the ball to Gregory Soto, who earned his fourth save of the season despite allowing a run. The young right-hander finished with 10 strikeouts, marking a season high.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Skenes became the first Pirates pitcher in the Expansion Era (since 1961) to strike out the side at least three times in a single game.
The win improved Skenes to 6-2 on the season and lowered his ERA to 1.98. He has opened May with 16 consecutive scoreless innings and has allowed only six earned runs over his last eight starts combined.
The two-time All-Star will look to continue his red-hot stretch in his next scheduled start, a home matchup against the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday.
