Inside Paul Skenes' scintillating 1st MLB win: Pitch by pitch, inning by inning

Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Yasmani Grandal was blunt last week when asked to assess Paul Skenes’ MLB debut, when the 21-year-old lasted four innings against the Chicago Cubs, allowing three runs and six hits.

“Not the best I’ve seen him, that’s for sure, but I hold him to high standards,” Grandal said. “ … We’re gonna continue going, and I’m assuming he’s gonna have a way better second start.”

Grandal’s words proved to be prophetic, as Skenes dominated the Cubs on Friday at Wrigley Field, striking out 11 over six no-hit innings to pick up his first big-league win.

In a 9-3 Pirates win, Skenes allowed only one baserunner — on a walk in the fifth inning — and struck out the first seven batters he faced, falling two short of the MLB record for most consecutive strikeouts to begin a game.

Pure filth ????

Every strikeout from Paul Skenes' first MLB win ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/QEVWWzekIM

— MLB (@MLB) May 17, 2024

Skenes unleashed his full arsenal Friday, throwing 41 fastballs followed by 33 splinkers (splitter-sinker hybrid).

He threw his slider 15 times, a curveball seven times and, finally, his changeup four times.

Last Saturday, Skenes walked two and hit a batter, but Friday, he felt that command, particularly of his heat-seeking fastball, was critical.

“It’s really tough to compete without fastball execution, no matter who you are, so it was a lot better today and something I can lean on a little bit more than last week,” Skenes told reporters in Chicago after the game.

Around the Pirates clubhouse, Skenes’ teammates were blown away by his performance.

“Just incredibly impressive. That sums it up,” closer David Bednar said. “It was just fun to watch. … He showed today that there’s so many ways he can get guys out. So much fun to watch.”

Below is an examination of Skenes’ performance vs. the Cubs, pitch by pitch and inning by inning.

1st inning

Mike Tauchman led off for the Cubs, and Skenes retired him in four pitches — three fastballs and a splinker — with Tauchman foul-tipping an 100 mph heater into Grandal’s glove to go down on strikes.

Ian Happ followed, working a 2-0 count on a pair of splinkers that missed the zone, but Skenes battled back with a splinker and slider to even the count before retiring Happ swinging on a 100.1 mph fastball.

Then, to end the inning, Skenes fanned Cody Bellinger on three pitches: splinker, fastball, fastball, the latter of which hit 100.3 mph.

Paul Skenes, 100mph Fastball...with 17 inches of Run. pic.twitter.com/L7EhBiH9pu

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 17, 2024

2nd inning

Skenes threw two fastballs, two sliders and two splinkers to Christopher Morel, getting him swinging on a 3-2 splinker.

Michael Busch then worked the longest at-bat of the afternoon against Skenes, surviving for 10 pitches and fouling off six before Skenes struck him out swinging on a full-count slider.

After Busch’s at-bat, Miles Mastrobuoni lasted only four pitches, including Skenes’ first curveball of the day, before swinging and missing on a 101.2 mph fastball to end the inning.

Paul Skenes's 6th Consecutive Strikeout to start the Game.

101.2 MPH with 17 inches of Run. ???? pic.twitter.com/HGuKgImnfK

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 17, 2024

3rd inning

Skenes stayed away from the heater for the majority of Nick Madrigal’s at-bat to begin the bottom of the third. Madrigal fouled off five straight pitches — all sliders and splinkers — before Skenes threw him an 0-2 fastball that he took a swing at and missed for Skenes’ seventh straight strikeout.

Next came Pete Crow-Armstrong, who grounded out to first base on Skenes’ second pitch, finally putting a ball in play for the Cubs.

With two outs, Miguel Amaya got to a 2-2 count before grounding out to third.

4th inning

The Cubs’ top of the order led off the inning, with Tauchman striking out swinging on a 2-2 splinker.

Happ followed him with another strikeout, Skenes’ ninth of the day, on a 3-2 fastball.

Paul Skenes has nine strikeouts in four innings. He has not allowed a base runner pic.twitter.com/46D4TtkKjZ

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) May 17, 2024

Bellinger then grounded out to second base on the fourth pitch.

5th inning

To lead off the fifth, Morel earned the distinction of being the only Cubs batter to put a ball in the air vs. Skenes, as he recorded the lone flyout of the afternoon on an 0-2 changeup.

Busch then drew a walk on eight pitches, becoming Chicago’s sole baserunner while Skenes was in the game.

Mastrobuoni then went down swinging on four pitches, followed by Madrigal, who grounded out on an 0-1 splinker.

6th inning

In the bottom of the sixth, Crow-Armstrong got into a 2-2 count after five pitches but grounded out on the sixth, a changeup.

Amaya had a similar at-bat, grounding out on the sixth pitch after working a 2-2 count.

Fittingly, in what proved to be his final batter of the day, Skenes faced Tauchman, striking him out with an 100 mph fastball that was his 100th pitch.

Paul Skenes, 11th K.

100mph on his 100th Pitch. pic.twitter.com/84tpA5huyV

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 17, 2024