Skenes flirts with perfection, might actually be getting BETTER

MILWAUKEE -- There was no denying the feeling in the ballpark as Paul Skenes navigated his way through the Brewers’ lineup inning after inning. Arguably the best pitcher in the sport had it working. This was as good a night as any for the historically great Skenes to finish off the Pirates’ first perfect game in franchise history. It’s just a matter of time at this point.

But Friday night was not it.

Skenes set down the first 20 batters before the Brewers’ Jake Bauers ripped a single to center field with two outs in the seventh inning, causing a collective sigh of relief before the ensuing standing ovation followed from the crowd at American Family Field.

Those watching Skenes’ every start know history is inevitably coming. And it was oh so close to happening during the Pirates’ 6-0 win on Friday.

“I think sometimes we lose sight of the fact that he came up two years ago, and he’s in his third season in the big leagues,” manager Don Kelly said. “He’s continuing to get better, which is amazing considering what he’s already done in the game. To put Opening Day behind him and pitch the way that he’s pitched since just speaks to who he is and what he means to the team, as a leader and guy on the mound who just goes out to dominate every time that he takes the ball.”

Skenes is simply getting better, believe it or not. After an uncharacteristic five-run outing against the Mets to begin the season, Skenes has pitched to a 0.95 ERA in his past five starts. His 2.01 ERA through his first 61 Major League starts is the lowest by any pitcher through his first 60 starts during the Live Ball Era (since 1920).

Those numbers are so historically significant that it’s hard to comprehend. Skenes is on a path to be considered one of the best pitchers of his generation, and he’s only 23 years old. So when Skenes was 6 2/3 innings of the way through a perfect game bid -- tied for the third longest by a Pirate in the Expansion Era (since 1961) -- it raised eyebrows a bit higher than if anyone else was on the mound.

“That was the best I’ve seen from anyone, I think,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said.

That goes for Kelly as well, who was almost tasked with the impossible situation of sending Skenes out for an eighth or ninth inning, which would have meant Skenes likely clearing the 110-pitch mark.

“Extremely difficult. … Paul Skenes means a lot to us. I also understand the gravity of the situation, what that all entails,” Kelly said. “I wish we would have gotten to that point for him and the team, trying to navigate that and figure it out. … But he had elite stuff tonight. He had perfect-game stuff, which was really impressive.”

Skenes had struggled in his previous two outings last season against the Brewers, allowing four runs in just four innings in each, but he bounced back Friday night by deploying his famous “splinker” and attacking the strike zone. He rarely fell behind hitters, and after an early lead thanks to Konnor Griffin’s first career home run, Skenes simply had no trouble overpowering and outsmarting his opponents.

“When we step on the field and he’s throwing, it just gives us so much confidence, just to have his back. We want to win for him,” Griffin said. “To go out there and be able to do that, he deserves it. Pitching seven innings, giving up only one hit, he deserves to see us score four, five, six runs on the board.

“I’m right there behind him, so I’m seeing the ball do a lot of crazy things, and there’s a reason he only gave up one hit. It’s so special.”

The Pirates (15-11) need this version of Skenes as the club continues its impressive start to the season. Pittsburgh has heightened expectations, and with an elite rotation -- along with snapping an eight-game skid to the Brewers -- there is belief within the club that it has what it takes to compete atop the division.

Skenes is a major part of that becoming a reality. And whether or when he makes history, winning is his priority.

“I mean, there are a lot of pitchers that have gone six perfect, so I wasn't thinking about it a ton,” Skenes said. “I've had no-hit outings and gotten pulled and it was close, so it's really just executing and putting up more zeros and doing everything to win the game.”