The Pirates entered divisional play by spanking the Brewers 6-0 as Paul Skenes set the tone for the series by taking a perfect game into the 7th inning while Konnor Griffin hit his first MLB home run on his 20th birthday. Skenes lost the perfect game with two outs in the 7th inning on a Jake Bauers single up the middle as he finished with seven shutout innings, the one hit and seven strikeouts. The Pirates lineup kept chipping away and adding runs as they cruised to victory over the Brewers. Here’s my three takeaways from this great game…
Paul Skenes Will Throw Multiple No-Hitters in His Career
It’s going to happen and it’s absurd to even say out loud, but Paul Skenes is an absurd pitcher. Skenes won the NL Rookie of the Year his rookie season then he won the NL Cy Young in his second season and he almost added perfect game to his resume in his third season. Skenes obviously had it going Friday night. I thought to myself in the second inning that he had no-hit stuff going in this one. And the Brewers had no chance to touch him in this game. There’s only been 24 official perfect games in MLB history and we were just seven outs from witnessing the 25th and first one in Pirates history.
And watching Skenes Friday even after he lost the perfecto and no-hitter, you just come away knowing that he’s going to get one eventually, probably multiple no-hitters if we’re being honest. He’s unhittable most nights even when he’s off and games like this one when he’s on, look out. Skenes had that forgettable start on Opening Day and he said he was going to flush it. Well he has and has lowered his ERA in each game including this one to where it sits at 2.48 ERA. Skenes has re-established himself as the best in the world.
Happy Birthday, Konnor!
There’s been some talk this week about if you’re worried about Konnor Griffin’s bat…well, I think a lot of people are feeling a bit better about his bat now. Konnor Griffin celebrated his 20th birthday by getting us gifts! That’s not how it’s supposed to work, but he started right away in his first at-bat in the third inning with a solo home run to right center field to get off the schneid for his first home run of his MLB career. Hopefully there’s many more to come. But Griffin wasn’t done. He came up in the 5th and singled and then stole second base. Then in the 8th inning with bases loaded for him, he ripped a two-RBI single to make it 6-0 and put the game out of reach. Griffin finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs, a home run, stolen base and becomes the first Pirates player to homer on his 20th birthday since Aramis Ramirez. I think Griffin will remember his 20th for a long time, and I don’t think we need to be nervous about his bat anymore. Let’s hope he goes on a hot streak. But this is why the future is so bright here, we saw it Friday night in one game—Paul Skenes and Konnor Griffin led the Pirates to victory over the defending division champs.
Bashing the Brewers Heads in is Fun
These NL Central divisional games are so important this season. The entire division is over .500 so far and winning these games in your division are going to be huge come September. Walking into Milwaukee with Skenes on the mound in game one and just cruising to an easy 6-0 victory over the Brewers as they could do nothing all night…it’s fun. The defense melted down too for them in the 8th inning as they had two straight errors and then Griffin’s bases loaded 2-RBI double put the game away making it 6-0. Just a fun night at the House of Horrors as everything was going the Pirates way Friday. Keep the energy going into the weekend and take this series to help distance ourselves from our division opponents.
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