PHOENIX — Pittsburgh Pirates Cy Young winner Paul Skenes, already producing the greatest start to a career of any pitcher in MLB history, came oh, so close Wednesday to carving out a page in the record book.
Skenes, in one of the finest starts of his brilliant career, came oh, so close to pitching a no-hitter.
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Really, he came oh, so close to pitching a perfect game.
“I’d be lying,’’ Pirates manager Don Kelly said, “if I said it didn’t go through my mind.’’
Skenes instead had to settle for a brilliant eight-inning gem, allowing just two baserunners in the Pirates’ 1-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field.
“I don’t know what else to say,’’ Kelly said, “but he was unbelievable.’’
Skenes was blowing his 98-mph four-seam fastball past the D-backs. He had them swinging at air on his changeup. He had them diving at his sinker. They flailed away at his sweeper.
Everything was working, generating 13 swings-and-misses, with seven strikeouts on three different pitches.
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He threw 97 pitches, 65 for strikes.
He retired 13 Diamondback hitters on three or fewer pitches.
He never threw more than 17 pitches in a single inning, and threw nine pitches or fewer in three innings.
He barley broke a sweat.
“I thought there were times that every pitch was working,’’ Skenes said, “but they weren’t at the same time, unfortunately. I was happy with it. We were executing our pitches.’’
Skenes set down the first 15 Diamondbacks hitters he faced with such ease that only three balls were even hit to the outfield, and no one had to make more than a routine play.
He retired the last 10 batters he faced, striking out the side in his final innings.
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It was just those two batters with two outs in the sixth inning, with Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hitting a ball that traveled just 50.8 mph off his bat, trickling to the right of Skenes, and winding up with an infield hit when Skenes’ throw to first baseman Spencer Horwitz was wide of the bag. And Nolan Arenado, who attended the same high school as Skenes in Lake Forest, California, followed on the next pitch with a sharp single to left field.
Other than that, Skenes was perfect in his eight shutout innings, one out less than his career high.
No walks.
No more hits.
And no runs.
“I’m not going to go out there and tell him he’s got to throw no-hitters every single time he goes out there,’’ said Pirates second baseman Brandon Lowe, who produced the only run with his first-inning homer, “but it’s a lot of fun to be behind when he’s rolling like he was tonight.’’
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Sure, Skenes (5-2, 2.36 ERA) may have looked human at times this year. He gave up five runs in his season-opener without getting out of the first inning, and five runs (three earned) in his last start against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Otherwise, he’s been nothing short of spectacular.
He is 5-0 with a 0.74 ERA in his six other starts, yielding just 12 hits and three runs in 28.1 innings, showing the baseball world why he’s the finest pitcher in the game.
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes in the eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field.
Skenes, the defending Cy Young Award winner, continues to put together a resume that no one has ever accomplished. He now has a career 2.01 ERA, the lowest ERA by any pitcher through his first 63 starts since at least 1920. He has made 22 scoreless starts, which are the most by any pitcher through 63 starts since at least 1901.
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The only thing missing in his glossy resume is a shutout, or a nine-inning complete game.
Yet, after striking out the side in the eighth, but reaching three-ball counts on the final two batters to do so, Kelly thought he was showing fatigue after 97 pitches. He summoned left-handed reliever Gregory Soto to close out the game.
“I was thinking about it,’’ Kelly said, “and it just looked like in the eighth inning his command wasn’t as good. His velo ticked down a hair. He was getting ahead so early (in the game), but in the last inning, he just didn’t look like the command was as sharp.’’
Skenes, who said he was unaware of his pitch count, didn’t balk at the decision, saying he had confidence Soto would finish it out for a combined shutout.
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“I wasn’t worrying about it too much,’’ Skenes said. “So, hopefully this year.’’
Is there any doubt?
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Paul Skenes no hitter bid dissolves, but he still dazzles
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