August 4, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) pitches in the fourth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports Pittsburgh Pirates rookie star Paul Skenes will get his first chance to pitch close to home on Saturday against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The closest Skenes has come to pitching in nearby Orange County, where he grew up, this season was July 29, when he allowed two runs (one earned) in six innings at Houston. On Sunday, Skenes (6-1, 1.99 ERA) allowed two runs in 5 1/3 innings at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
He allowed two or fewer runs in 12 of his first 14 career starts.
One of the two games in which he gave up three runs came on June 5, when he pitched five innings at home against the Dodgers. The six hits he allowed that day matched his season-high. Although Skenes allowed home runs to the Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani and Andy Pages in that game, he still finished the night with the win, the third of his career.
Skenes, who was the National League starting pitcher in last month’s All-Star Game, struck out 107 batters in 86 innings.
Skenes has always been good with his control, walking a season-high three batters in each of his last two starts and throwing 100 pitches on Sunday, his shortest outing since June 5.
“This is the first time I’ve seen him shake the ball around a little bit,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said.
The Dodgers will be faced with rookie River Ryan (1-0, 1.72). The right-handed pitcher has far less experience than Skenes, and has made just three starts since his debut on July 22.
In his most recent outing, Sunday at Oakland, Ryan allowed five hits and two runs in 4 2/3 innings while striking out four. He has walked three batters in all three of his starts.
Ryan, who will face Pittsburgh for the first time, will appreciate the run support the Dodgers provided in Friday’s 9-5 win over the Pirates. Freddie Freeman, Ohtani and Enrique Hernandez homered. Ohtani’s 448-foot homer extended his National League-leading total to 35.
But the Dodgers, who have won four of their last six, are having trouble beating two fierce division rivals. The San Diego Padres, who are on a six-game winning streak, are two and a half games behind, while the Arizona Diamondbacks, who are 15-5 since the All-Star break, are three and a half games behind. Los Angeles was eight and a half games ahead on July 23.
“We know that,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “Nobody would be lying if they said they didn’t look at the scoreboard and appreciate how good the other teams in our division are doing. It’s just a responsibility that we have to play good baseball.”
Freeman has had a hit in all four of his appearances since missing eight games to care for his 3-year-old son, who was recovering from deteriorating health.
“I didn’t know what to expect after 10 days off from live pitching, but I feel good at the plate,” Freeman told SportsNet LA. “I just like to hit the ball hard.”
Dodgers right-hander Jack Flaherty not only struck out 10 batters in his home debut for his new team on Friday, but the staff struck out a career-high 16 batters on the night.
After the Pirates won two of three in a series between the two teams in Pittsburgh in early June, the Dodgers won the first game of the series.
–Field level media
