Current:Home > InvestRekubit Exchange:Paul Skenes blew away Shohei Ohtani in their first meeting. The two-time MVP got revenge. -AssetPath
Rekubit Exchange:Paul Skenes blew away Shohei Ohtani in their first meeting. The two-time MVP got revenge.
FinLogic FinLogic Quantitative Think Tank Center View
Date:2025-04-09 08:05:41
Paul Skenes and Rekubit ExchangeShohei Ohtani exchanged greetings on the baseball field in a manner befitting the hardest-throwing phenom and the greatest two-way talent in the game.
Skenes, the Pittsburgh Pirates rookie making his fifth career start, blew away Ohtani on three pitches — 101.3, 100.1 and 100.8 mph — that the Los Angeles Dodgers star swung and whiffed at in their first encounter Wednesday night at PNC Park.
But the two-time MVP didn't need more than two tries to welcome Skenes to the big leagues.
Ohtani turned around a 100-mph fastball in the third inning, sending it 415 feet and over the fence in straightaway center field for his 15th home run, showing the rookie that it's not so easy to slip pure heat by the Dodgers DH.
Yet it's one of a precious few mistakes Skenes made in Wednesday's 10-6 triumph, as he picked up his third win in five outings, striking out eight Dodgers in five innings.
Follow every MLB game: Latest MLB scores, stats, schedules and standings.
Oh, Ohtani got him again, singling to right in the fifth to put two runners on in a 7-3 game. But Ohtani's single was sandwiched by Skenes punchouts against the other MVPs in L.A.'s lineup. He caught Mookie Betts looking on a full-count 100-mph fastball on the outside corner, and Freddie Freeman on a 0-2 fastball that dotted the bottom of the zone at 99 mph.
After a Will Smith single loaded the bases, Skenes induced a groundout from Teoscar Hernandez and exited with a 7-3 lead. The Pirates went on to claim their second consecutive win over the NL West-leading Dodgers.
Skenes is still less than a year removed from the Pirates selecting him No. 1 overall from LSU, yet his resume remains nearly spotless. He has 38 strikeouts in 27 innings pitched and a 3.00 ERA, and the Pirates are 4-1 in his starts. He walked just one on Wednesday, bringing his strikeout-to-walk ratio to 38-to-6.
Now, add another bullet point to that list: A split decision against the game's greatest talent.
veryGood! (9)
Related
- Are Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp down? Meta says most issues resolved after outages
- Trump victory spurs worry among migrants abroad, but it’s not expected to halt migration
- Horoscopes Today, November 7, 2024
- Despite Climate Concerns, Young Voter Turnout Slumped and Its Support Split Between the Parties
- Finally, good retirement news! Southwest pilots' plan is a bright spot, experts say
- Prince William Says Princess Charlotte Cried the First Time She Saw His Rugged Beard
- New York bank manager sentenced to prison for stealing over $200K from dead customer: DOJ
- Whoopi Goldberg Details Making “Shift” for Sister Act 3 After Maggie Smith’s Death
- Jorge Ramos reveals his final day with 'Noticiero Univision': 'It's been quite a ride'
- NYC police search for a gunman who wounded a man before fleeing into the subway system
Ranking
- Tarte Shape Tape Concealer Sells Once Every 4 Seconds: Get 50% Off Before It's Gone
- Sea turtle nests increased along a Florida beach but hurricanes washed many away
- Los Angeles Lakers rookie Bronny James assigned to G League team
- Kirk Herbstreit announces death of beloved golden retriever Ben: 'We had to let him go'
- Senate begins final push to expand Social Security benefits for millions of people
- Mexico appears to abandon its ‘hugs, not bullets’ strategy as bloodshed plagues the country
- US to tighten restrictions on energy development to protect struggling sage grouse
- Kirk Herbstreit announces death of beloved golden retriever Ben: 'We had to let him go'
Recommendation
Former Danish minister for Greenland discusses Trump's push to acquire island
Wife of southern Illinois judge charged in his fatal shooting, police say
Horoscopes Today, November 7, 2024
Brianna Chickenfry LaPaglia Accuses Ex Zach Bryan of Abuse
What do we know about the mysterious drones reported flying over New Jersey?
US to tighten restrictions on energy development to protect struggling sage grouse
NYC police search for a gunman who wounded a man before fleeing into the subway system
A new 'Star Wars' trilogy is in the works: Here's what we know