Skins finished the shot but swallowed a losing shot: the only way to do it was to keep going

A month ago, on April 14, the Pittsburgh Buccaneers scored 10 points against the Nationals to win. Paul Skenes was a quality starter at the time to win the game, and the pirate ace looked to have a bright future ahead of him with a right-hand shot.

In the six appearances since that start, the Pirates have provided him with just 10 points. Sunday's game was a microcosm — Skins conceded just one point in eight innings to 9K and was shut down by Brandon Marsh's fifth-game play. The Phillies eventually swept 1-0 at Citizens Bank Park, giving Skins his first major league finish in a losing run.

"He threw unbelievable content and deserved to win," said head coach Don Kelly.

It was perhaps the best performance of the season for Spins. He accumulated 11 escorts in the previous three games, and only 1 time in this game was four bad, and he was knocked out of 3 hits. Nine strikeouts equalled a season-high and a career-high 22 misses.

Skins made extensive use of the inside and outside corners of the fastball, supplemented by five variations to suppress the Philadelphia line. The Citizens Bank Park speed gun showed triple digits five times (99.5-99.7 mph actually, including the strikeout Bryce Harper ball), and its efficiency was matched by the suppressive power.

"He's a real deal," Harper commented, "and with a top-notch arsenal, it's no accident that he's standing here." It was a pleasure to watch him pitch. "

However, Skins swallowed three straight defeats. Philadelphia rookie Mick Abel made his major league debut with a 6-inning, 9K and a relay from the bullpen.

Back in 1999, Jason Schmidt (Jason Schmidt), no one in the history of the Buccaneers could swallow up after a 9+ strikeout. Individual wins and losses are secondary, but Kelly knows the team spirit of Skins: "He fights for team wins, and this selflessness defines his character. "