Skenes secures five strikeouts – four on 100+ mph pitches – in Triple-A debut
By Anna Kayser
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Making his Triple-A debut at Louisville Slugger Field, Pittsburgh Pirates top prospect Paul Skenes punched out five across 3.0 perfect innings as the Louisville Bats defeated the Indianapolis Indians in walk-off fashion on Saturday afternoon, 4-3.
Louisville (2-0) scored all four of its runs via the long ball, with Michael Trautwein’s solo shot with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning against Brady Feigl (L, 0-1) breaking a 3-3 tie. The Bats got on the board first in the fifth inning when Rece Hinds launched a three-run homer to left-center field.
The top of the Indians (0-2) order dominated the offense, with Nick Gonzales, Billy McKinney, Liover Peguero and Jake Lamb each logging two hits in the first four spots. With Gonzales and McKinney on base in the top of the seventh, Peguero and Lamb roped back-to-back RBI doubles to tie the game.
Skenes’ fastball topped out at 101.2 mph in his third inning of work, with four of his five strikeouts coming on triple-digit four-seamers. He threw 29 strikes on 46 total pitches.
Brooks Kriske (W, 1-0) shut down the Indians offense in the eighth and ninth innings to earn the win after Trautwein went yard.
The Indians and Bats close out their three-game series at Louisville Slugger Field on Sunday afternoon at 1:05 PM ET. Indianapolis’ 2023 Pitcher of the Year, RHP Quinn Priester (0-0, -.–) will take the mound against Reds rehabber LHP Nick Lodolo (0-0, -.–).
Originally posted on milb.com/indianapolis