August 4, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30 years old) plays against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the fourth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles Leclerc-USA TODAY Sports Pittsburgh Pirates rookie Paul Skenes will get his first chance to play close to home on Saturday against the host Los Angeles Dodgers.
The closest Skenes has come this season to pitching in the Orange County where he grew up was on July 29 in Houston, when he allowed two runs (one earned) in six innings. Skenes (6-1, 1.99 ERA) allowed two runs in 5 1/3 innings at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday.
He allowed two runs or fewer in 12 of his first 14 career starts.
He allowed three runs twice, one of which came on June 5 at home against the Dodgers when he pitched five innings. His six hits that day were a season high. Although Skenes hit home runs to the Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani and Andy Pages in that game, he still ended the night with a win, the third of his career.
Skenes was a National League starter in last month’s All-Star Game, striking out 107 in 86 innings.
Skenes, whose control has always been precise, walking a season-high three batters in each of his last two starts, threw 100 pitches on Sunday, his shortest appearance since June 5 .
“This is the first time we’ve really seen him spread the ball around a little bit,” Buccaneers manager Derek Shelton said.
The Dodgers will counterattack with their own rookie, River Ryan (1-0, 1.72). The right-hander is far less experienced than Skenes, having made just three starts since making his debut on July 22.
In his most recent start Sunday at Oakland, Ryan allowed two runs on five hits and struck out four in 4 2/3 innings. He walked three batters in all three starts.
Ryan will face Pittsburgh for the first time and will look to the run support the Dodgers provided in Friday’s 9-5 win over the Pirates. Freddie Freeman, Otani and Enrique Hernandez hit home runs. Ohtani’s 448-foot hit brought his National League-leading home run total to 35.
However, despite winning four of their past six games, the Dodgers have struggled to fend off two tough division opponents. The San Diego Padres, who have won six straight, are 2 1/2 games behind, while the Arizona Diamondbacks, who are 15-5 since the All-Star break, are 3 1/2 games behind. On July 23, Los Angeles led by 8 1/2 games.
“We’re very aware of that,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I’d be lying if I said no one was looking at the scoreboard and appreciating the performance of the other teams in our division. It just puts the onus on us to play good baseball.”
Freeman had a hit in all four games he appeared in after missing eight games as his three-year-old son recovered from a health scare.
“I don’t know how I’m going to be after 10 days off from live pitching, but I actually feel good on the field,” Freeman said to Los Angeles Sports Network. “It’s nice to hit the ball hard.”
Not only did Dodgers right-hander Jack Flaherty strike out 10 in his home debut with his new club on Friday, but the entire staff combined to strike out 16 that night.
The Pirates won two of three games in Pittsburgh in early June, and the Dodgers won the opener of the series.
–Scene-level media
