Skenes Debut Gem Pirates Collapse Cubs

Top pitching prospect Paul Skenes made a strong MLB debut for the Pittsburgh Pirates, showcasing his impressive fastball and breaking pitches.

On May 11, 2024, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Paul Skenes, a rising star in Major League Baseball, made his debut as the starting pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates against the Chicago Cubs. This highly anticipated game carried significant weight for both teams, with the Cubs trailing the Milwaukee Brewers by just half a game in the NL Central, while the Pirates were six games behind. The Pirates were banking on Skenes, the top pick from LSU in the previous season, to inject new life into their season.

Skenes showcased his exceptional talent that propelled him to the Majors after a brief stint in the minors. He impressed the crowd at PNC Park by striking out the first batter he faced, Mike Tauchman, and consistently throwing fastballs exceeding 100 miles per hour. His breaking pitches displayed remarkable movement, with up to 15 inches of break, leaving the Cubs struggling to decipher his pitches.

During his four-plus innings on the mound, Skenes allowed six hits and three earned runs, walking two batters while striking out seven. Despite exiting the game with a 6-1 lead for the Pirates, the Cubs managed to mount a comeback against his relievers, scoring five runs to tie the game before a rain delay intervened.

In the early stages of the game, Skenes navigated around a two-out walk to Cody Bellinger in the first inning. However, the Cubs posed a greater challenge in the second inning, loading the bases with one out after Skenes hit Nico Hoerner, walked Michael Busch, and gave up a single to Miles Mastrobuoni. Displaying his composure, Skenes struck out Yan Gomes and induced a groundout from Tauchman to escape the jam.

Despite his solid performance, Skenes surrendered a home run to Hoerner in the fourth inning, breaking the Pirates' shutout bid and narrowing their lead to 4-1. His outing ended after allowing a double and a single in the fifth inning, with his relievers unable to preserve the lead as the Cubs tied the game.

Before his Major League debut, Skenes had excelled in Triple-A Indianapolis, boasting a 0.99 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 27.1 innings across seven starts. His dominance on the mound was evident as he consistently struck out at least six batters in his previous outings, showcasing his potential as a future star in baseball.