Paul Skenes attempts to bounce back from a shaky outing when the Pittsburgh Pirates face the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday night at Phoenix.
The right-hander served up two first-inning homers and gave up five runs (three earned) and seven hits in five innings of a 10-5 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals last Thursday.
Skenes had allowed just seven total hits over his previous four starts, covering 23 1/3 innings. He has given up just 22 hits in 34 innings this season.
The 23-year-old was not pleased with his struggles.
“Just didn’t have the best command of everything in those first couple of innings,” Skenes told reporters. “Settled in a little bit, and then they did a pretty good job in the last few innings, just had to grind through it a little bit.”
Skenes (4-2, 3.18 ERA) has struck out 39 and walked just seven. However, he is averaging just 4.86 innings per start.
The Diamondbacks likely aren’t so thrilled to see Skenes on the mound.
Skenes is 2-0 with a 1.00 ERA in three career starts against Arizona. He has fanned 20 in 18 innings.
Nolan Arenado is 5-for-14 with a homer against Skenes with all that damage coming when the former played for the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Diamondbacks rolled to a 9-0 victory on Tuesday in the opener of a three-game series to halt a four-game losing streak.
Left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez allowed two hits over seven scoreless innings and Jonathan Loaisiga and Brandyn Garcia each pitched a perfect inning of relief for Arizona.
Geraldo Perdomo had a two-run double during a five-run sixth inning in which Arizona pulled away.
The Diamondbacks were 5-of-12 with runners in scoring position and also plated runs on two sacrifice flies and a fielder’s choice.
“I think this is a reminder of what type of team we can be when we do the things we’re supposed to do and focus in on the little details,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “… It didn’t happen by accident. We work hard at it and when we do it right, it tells me the story that we can win games and stretch it out when needed. We’re built to win close games.”
The Pirates were 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position while seeing their three-game winning streak halted. Jared Triolo and Konnor Griffin hit doubles for Pittsburgh’s only hits.
Griffin’s two-bagger was a rocket that hit near the top of the 25-foot wall in center field.
But the Pirates were hitless in seven at-bats with runners in scoring position while being shut out for the fourth time this season.
Right-hander Michael Soroka (4-1, 4.70) will start for the Diamondbacks on Wednesday.
Soroka, 28, has struck out 36 and walked just nine in 30 2/3 innings this season, his first with Arizona.
Soroka is 0-0 with a 6.14 ERA in three career appearances (one start) against the Pirates. Marcell Ozuna is 3-for-11 against Soroka.
Pittsburgh manager Don Kelly will be back in the dugout Wednesday after serving a one-game suspension. Bench coach Kris Negron ran the team on Tuesday.
Kelly served the suspension due to reliever Chris Devenski being ejected for intentionally throwing at a batter during Saturday’s game against the Cincinnati Reds. The manager receives an automatic suspension in that situation.
–Field Level Media
