Paul Skenes becomes the first pitcher in over a century with seven or more strikeouts in at least 10 of his first 11 career appearances.
MILWAUKEE — Paul Skenes delivered an outstanding performance by striking out 11 batters over seven no-hit innings, leading the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 1-0 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday.
Skenes threw 99 pitches in his 11th major league start, with 65 for strikes. The All-Star right-hander walked one and lowered his ERA to 1.90.
“It just comes down to going out there and executing,” Skenes said. “If strikeouts are what that looks like, then so be it. It’s just about getting outs.”
Paul Skenes has recorded 89 strikeouts with a 1.90 ERA this season, the most for a sub-2.00 ERA pitcher through 11 starts since ERA became an official statistic in 1913. Previous records include Fernando Valenzuela with 79 strikeouts in 1981 and Orel Hershiser with 77 in 1984.
Colin Holderman replaced Skenes (6-0) and gave up a leadoff single to Jake Bauers for Milwaukee’s first hit. The Brewers loaded the bases in the eighth, but Holderman got out of the jam by striking out William Contreras.
Aroldis Chapman closed with his fourth save, completing a two-hitter for Pittsburgh.
Skenes, the top pick from last year’s draft out of LSU, has allowed two runs or fewer in nine of his 11 major league starts. He struck out 11 in a six-inning no-hit performance in his second start against the Chicago Cubs on May 17.
“I don’t think anybody thinks that when you come to the big leagues, it’s going to be like this,” said Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton.
Milwaukee’s Aaron Civale (2-7) pitched six-hit ball into the seventh inning. The NL Central leaders lost for the fifth time in seven games.
The Pirates scored the game’s only run in the seventh. Ke’Bryan Hayes hit a leadoff single but was forced out when Jack Suwinski grounded into a fielder’s choice. Yasmani Grandal doubled to drive in Suwinski, who scored from first with a headfirst slide.
Civale was relieved by Bryan Hudson after walking Andrew McCutchen. Hudson then induced an inning-ending double play from Bryan Reynolds.
Milwaukee’s first baserunner came when Bauers was hit by a pitch in the second. Garrett Mitchell walked, but Andruw Monasterio struck out to end the inning.
In the third, Contreras hit a foul ball into the second deck that narrowly missed the foul pole, eventually striking out after a 10-pitch at-bat.
Skenes maintained his composure, even stopping to tie his shoe after striking out Willy Adames for the second time in the fourth.
“Just falling back to your process and then just focusing on executing and getting the guys out, getting the pitches, and as long as you do that, then everything’s going to kind of fall where it may,” Skenes said. “So, just got to fall back to your preparation.”
Skenes retired his final 16 batters, striking out eight in that stretch, bringing his total to 89 strikeouts in 66⅓ innings.
“Guys have velocity in the major leagues, but just being able to pitch and kind of just throw anything at any time, he keeps you off-balance,” said Milwaukee’s Christian Yelich. “I actually thought we did a really good job against him today. I think we could have done a better job of getting him out of the game sooner. I think we let him off the hook with some at-bats there at the end.”
The Pirates had won 12-2 on Tuesday and lost 9-0 on Wednesday. Milwaukee had won nine consecutive home series.
This report includes contributions from The Associated Press.