Paul Skenes struck out 11 in seven no-hit innings in another dominant performance, and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Milwaukee Brewers 1-0 on Thursday. Skenes threw 99 pitches in his 11th major league start, 65 for strikes. The right-hander, who's going to the All-Star Game after just 11 major league starts, walked one while lowering his ERA to 1.90, the AP reports. Colin Holderman replaced Skenes, who's now 6-0 for the season, and surrendered a leadoff single to Jake Bauers for Milwaukee's first hit. The Brewers loaded the bases with two down in the eighth, but Holderman escaped the jam when he struck out William Contreras swinging. Aroldis Chapman handled the ninth for his fourth save, finishing a two-hitter for Pittsburgh.
Skenes, the No. 1 overall pick in last year's draft out of LSU, struck out 11 while pitching six no-hit innings in his second start for Pittsburgh on May 17 at the Cubs. The only other pitcher in major league history with two starts of at least six no-hit innings and 11 strikeouts in one season is Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan, per USA Today. Skenes has permitted two runs or fewer in nine of his 11 starts and has 89 strikeouts in 66 1/3 innings. Thursday's performance strengthened the case for having Skenes start the All-Star Game on Tuesday, per MLB.com. A rookie pitcher has started the All-Star Game just four times in MLB history, per the Elias Sports Bureau.
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