BALTIMORE – Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes admitted it was good to take a breather after surpassing 200 strikeouts for the first time in his career.The leading National League Cy Young Award candidate reached 203 strikeouts, fanning eight Orioles in the Pirates’ 2-1 loss in 10 innings to Baltimore on Wednesday night.It could have been more if manager Don Kelly hadn’t pulled the dominant right-handed pitcher after only 64 pitches, his fewest of the season, with the aim of managing his workload at the end of his first full season in the Major Leagues.
Skenes, 23, worked five innings without allowing runs and with only two hits in his thirtieth outing.Skenes has an effectiveness of 1.92 in 178 innings, the best of the majors, after combining 160⅓ last season between the Pirates and Triple-A Indianapolis.The main goal I’ve had in the last two years is to make every opening. There are opportunities to give and take throughout the season, and tonight was one of those. I probably needed it, to be honest.
Paul Skenes
Launched in September of last year, but it was different. Throwing 160 innings, with 27 of them in the minors, is not the same as throwing 160 innings all in the Major Leagues.
Paul Skenes
Wednesday was the eleventh time Skenes completed five innings without allowing runs. Eight of those have been since the beginning of July.It’s the second Pirates’ opener in the modern era (since 1901) to reach 200 strikeouts in 180 innings or less. Oliver Perez was the first in 2004.As we’ve talked about with all the guys. Just trying to make sure we’re managing their workload, making sure they get to the end of the season healthy and ready to finish a full season and be ready for next year.
Don Kelly
