CINCINNATI — Paul Skenes had history in hand after Gavin Lux grounded out to second base to lead off the fourth inning on Wednesday at Great American Ball Park. No Pirate starting pitcher in the Live Ball Era had ever pitched enough innings to qualify for the ERA title and finished with a sub-2 ERA.
On a day when Skenes and the Pirates had nothing to play for but history for their pitcher and pride, that was the first of several obvious potential exits to conclude the National League Cy Young frontrunner’s final start of the season and close perhaps the greatest season for a pitcher in franchise history. As it turned out, Skenes’ night was barely half over.
Skenes ended up throwing six scoreless innings against the Reds, striking out seven with only four hits allowed.
That performance lowered his season ERA to 1.97, the first sub-2.00 ERA for a starting pitcher since Justin Verlander’s 1.75 ERA with the Astros in 2022.
Skenes also became just the fourth pitcher in the Live Ball Era (since 1920) to record an ERA that low in his age-23 season or younger, joining Dwight Gooden (1985 at age 20), Vida Blue (1.82, age 21) and Dean Chance (1964, age 23).
Skenes flirted with losing his distinction in the fifth after Tyler Stephenson doubled off the top of the center-field wall, but he struck out a pair to strand Stephenson on third. Skenes returned for the sixth to retire the Reds in order, capping his season with a Spencer Steer strikeout.
Skenes was lifted in the seventh inning in favor of Justin Lawrence with the Pirates ahead, 2-0.
