Skenes ready for series rubber game, confident in team

PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – After Bryan Reynolds and Joey Bart each drove in a pair of runs in support of great pitching from Mitch Keller and the bullpen evened the series with Arizona, the Pirates get to turn to the talk of baseball to win the series. Paul Skenes pitches Sunday on 93.7 The Fan.

All of this is new to the Pirates rookie right-hander. Although it’s not like Skenes hasn’t pitched in pressure games. He pitched 32.1 innings in last year’s NCAA baseball tournament going 3-0 with a 1.11 ERA in four starts with 42 strikeouts and three walks. In his final college game, he threw eight shutout innings giving up two hits, one walk and nine strikeouts as LSU would go on to win the national championship.

Now it’s games that matter at the highest level.

“It’s a cool opportunity to gain some ground and beat some good teams,” Skenes said. “Obviously, this is an important series, we’ve been playing some important series the past month or so. We have to keep playing some good ball.”

The numbers so far are so good I think many have become numb to them. When Skenes gives up one earned run in six innings there is almost a worry of why he’s struggling. The overall numbers are 6-1, 1.90 ERA, 13 starts, 80.2 innings, 103 strikeouts, 16 walks with a 0.90 WHIP.

The 22-year-old now has a chance to clinch a series against a team ahead of them in the playoffs. As for anything beyond that, the right-hander said he’s on a good pace innings-wise and he’s not worried about any type of pitch counts or innings limits moving forward. For the record, GM Ben Cherington has said Skenes will pitch throughout the season.

Skenes is confident in himself and his teammates, whether they were the ones with him during his first start on May 11 or the ones acquired at the trade deadline. He said this organization is going to do what they need to do to have success. The 6’6” rookie said he’s fired up for what they have in the locker room. He’s been a big part of a team that was five games under .500 and now right in the middle of a playoff chase.

“Just want to win,” Skenes said. “The goal is to make a World Series, win a World Series. Whatever path we have to take to do that, I’m good with whatever.”