Pittsburgh Ace Paul Skeps comes from a career-worthy start and will try to get themselves and the pirates back on track when they host Washington Nationals in the first of a four-game series on Monday night.
Skene’s (1-1, 3.44 era) will oppose citizens 25-year-old Rookie Right Hander Brad Lord (0-0, 1.80), which will make their second career start and also try to reverse their team’s latest wealth.
After winning four in a row, Washington has dropped three of his last four, including Back-to-back games against Marlins in Miami over the weekend.
The pirates were swept in three matches at Cincinnati over the weekend. Crime continues to be a problem for Pittsburgh, which made five runs combined in these three matches.
Pittsburgh enters Monday’s game that is bound for the third fees made in Majors (50) and sports the worst team’s batter average (.184), Team Slugging Percent (.290) and Team OPS (.563).
On Sunday, the pirates were held for two hits against Cincinnati’s Hunter Greene, who began seven shut-off rounds and retired the last 17 beats he met when Reds shared Pittsburgh a loss of 4-0.
“We cannot let the opportunities be wasted,” said Pirates manager Derek Shelton. “We have to take advantage of the possibilities when we have them.”
Skenes, who has never met the citizens, gave up a career worth five runs over six rounds last Tuesday in a 5-3 home loss to St. Louis Cardinals. Skene knocked out seven, but struggled with his place and gave up on these runs on six hits, including two extra-base hits.
“A walk, seven punchouts are a bad start that most guys would take,” said Pirates manager Ben Chetington Sunday during his weekly radio program at Pirates flagship station 93.7 FM in Pittsburgh. “It speaks to the kind of level he created for himself.”
The damage to the right hand Michael Soroka due to a right Bicepstam and his subsequent placement on the injured list caused citizens to press Lord to fill in their place in their rotation last Tuesday.
Lord’s first start came against the reigning champion in the World Series Los Angeles Dodgers after three relief performances to start his career. The excursion was short but efficient overall because he did not allow any runs on two hits and two walks over three rounds and 55 seats and helped Washington come with an 8-2 victory. Lord’s performance included Fanning Shohei Ohtani for his first career strike.
“When he throws strikes, it’s good,” said National Manager Dave Martinez after Lord’s start. “I keep telling the young guys, you can’t get away from the strike zone. We have to attack early and make places.”
Citizens’ starting pitch fought in each of their two defeats in Miami.
Mackenzie Gore, the third overall election 2017 by Padres, could not slow down Marlins bats on Sunday, which enabled four runs on eight hits and three walks over six rounds to take a loss of 11-4. Lord will try to change that trend on Monday night.
A bright place on Sunday for Washington was 27-year-old right hand Cole Henry, who made his Major League debut and knocked out two while he allowed a hit in a speechless ninth. Henry, a second round election 2020, underwent thoracic outlet syndrome surgery in 2022. Citizens hope he can give length out of their bull this season.
“He threw the ball really well,” Martinez said. “I mean, it was amazing to see.”
-Field level media
