On Thursday, Pittsburgh Pirates rookie right-hander Paul Skenes delivered a remarkable performance against the Milwaukee Brewers, coming tantalizingly close to a no-hitter. Skenes, making his 11th start of the season, held the Brewers hitless through seven innings before being replaced in the eighth.
The 22-year-old All-Star pitcher threw 99 pitches, striking out 11 batters and walking just one. Skenes encountered a bit of trouble in the second inning, putting two runners on base with two outs, but managed to escape the jam with a strikeout.
Despite the dominant performance, Skenes was eventually relieved in the eighth inning, and left-hander Colin Holderman gave up a single to the first batter he faced, ending the no-hit bid. The Pirates led 1-0 at the time of Skenes' departure.
Skenes showcased his pitching prowess throughout the game, with his fastball reaching 100 mph on his 23rd pitch, which resulted in a crucial strikeout. He had previously thrown 74 pitches at or above the 100 mph mark in the season.
Notable defensive plays also contributed to Skenes' stellar outing, including second baseman Nick Gonzales chasing down a popup in the seventh inning, narrowly avoiding a collision with center fielder Jack Suwinski.
While Skenes fell just short of a no-hitter, his performance was a testament to his skill and potential as a rising star in the league. This outing adds to his impressive resume, which includes a previous six-inning no-hit performance earlier in the season.
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