Yandy Díaz hit a house run off the primary pitch from Paul Skenes on Sunday earlier than main off a two-run eighth inning with a single, sparking a 3-1 win for the Tampa Bay Rays over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Díaz opened the primary inning by driving Skenes’ near-100 mph first-pitch fastball off the right-field foul pole. He was 3 of 4 with two hits off Skenes, stretching his hit streak to 16 video games.
“There [are] no secret that he is a very good pitcher,” Díaz mentioned. “You do not wish to battle too many pitches or see too many pitches in your rely. So, that is why I went for the primary pitch.”
Colin Holderman (3-1) changed Skenes for the eighth, giving up a single to Díaz, adopted by one other from Josh Lowe. José Caballero, working for Díaz, scored on Randy Arozarena’s sacrifice fly to place the Rays forward 2-1 earlier than Richie Palacios added one other run with an RBI single.
“Simply move the baton on to the subsequent particular person,” Lowe mentioned. “That was an enormous inning for us.”
Kevin Kelly (2-0) acquired the ultimate two outs of the seventh for the Rays, who took two of three from the Pirates. Pete Fairbanks retired the facet so as with one strikeout within the ninth inning for his eleventh save.
Skenes, drafted first general by Pittsburgh in 2023, struck out eight and allowed one run and 6 hits with one stroll in a season-high seven innings.
“That is type of been the purpose because the begin of the yr, having the ability to get guys out fast,” Skenes mentioned. “A few one-pitch outs in there. It was good to cowl that many innings.”
The 22-year-old right-hander has 61 strikeouts and eight walks in eight begins, changing into the primary Nationwide League pitcher since 1901 with no less than 60 strikeouts and fewer than 10 walks in his first eight appearances. Masahiro Tanaka (66 strikeouts, seven walks in 2014 with the New York Yankees) is the one pitcher to perform it within the majors, per Elias Sports activities Bureau.
Skenes retired the ultimate 11 batters he confronted, capped by placing out Alex Jackson on a 102 mph fastball to remain 4-0 and decrease his ERA to 2.14. The rookie has thrown 70 pitches of no less than 100.0 mph this season. No different starter has greater than 36.
In three begins since June 11, he has an 0.93 ERA with 23 strikeouts and two walks in 19 1/3 innings.
“When anyone throws 100 or 102, or no matter it’s, it’s important to assault the toughest pitch,” Pittsburgh supervisor Derek Shelton mentioned. “So, I believe that is one thing that he’ll proceed to see. The actually advantage of it’s he has different weapons to assault individuals with, and I believe we have seen that during the last couple begins.”
Bryan Reynolds’ infield single within the backside of the primary prolonged his hit streak to a career-best 20 video games, the longest energetic within the majors. He then despatched Aaron Civale’s curveball 360 toes over the wall in proper, tying it 1-1 within the fourth along with his twelfth homer this season.
Civale went 5 innings for Tampa Bay, giving up one run and three hits.
“Yandy set the tone along with his house run. They answered again with their huge house run,” Rays supervisor Kevin Money mentioned. “However fairly the pitchers’ duel. Our pitchers did an amazing job, highlighted by Civale.”
Reporting by The Related Press.
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