Paul Skenes no-hit the host Milwaukee Brewers through seven innings, lifting the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 1-0 victory on Thursday afternoon in the rubber match of a three-game series.
Skenes (6-0), a rookie making his 11th major league start, walked one and struck out a career-high-tying 11. Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton opted to pull him ahead of the eighth, though, as the right-hander had thrown 99 pitches (65 strikes).
Colin Holderman took over for Skenes and immediately let Milwaukee get in the hit column.
Jake Bauers spoiled the combined no-hitter with a single to open the home half of the eighth, and Garrett Mitchell followed with a base hit of his own. Holderman then struck out Andruw Monasterio and Blake Perkins before walking Brice Turang to load the bases.
All-Star William Contreras then stepped into the box, but he was unable to capitalize on the Brewers’ best chance of the afternoon, swinging through an 85-mph sweeper on a 2-2 count.
Aroldis Chapman pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his fourth save of the season.
Yasmani Grandal provided all the offense Pittsburgh would need with an RBI double in the seventh. Andrew McCutchen went 1-for-2 with two walks for the
Pirates.
Milwaukee starter Aaron Civale (2-7) hung with Skenes through six innings before letting Grandal get to him in the seventh. Civale ended up allowing the one run on six hits in 6 1/3 innings, walking two and fanning six.
Bauers and Mitchell provided the Brewers’ only hits as Milwaukee fell for the fifth time in seven games.
It looked like Pittsburgh was going to get on the board right out of the gate after McCutchen opened the top of the first with a walk and Oneil Cruz reached on a one-out infield single.
But both runners were left stranded, as Civale struck out Rowdy Tellez before getting Nick Gonzales to ground out.
Milwaukee tried to mount a two-out rally in the second, as Bauers was hit by a pitch and Mitchell walked. Skenes buckled down, though, fanning Monasterio to end the inning.
–Field Level Media