
Pirates manager explains why he pulled Paul Skenes during no-hit bid
NY Post
Paul Skenes nearly had a chance at history, but his manager prevented any chance at it.
After dismantling the Brewers through seven no-hit innings, Skenes — who had totaled 99 pitches at that point — was pulled from Thursday’s contest prior to the eighth inning.
Immediately after Skenes exited the game, Pirates reliever Colin Holderman surrendered a single to Jake Bauers, curtailing a combined no-hit attempt.
Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton defended his decision to opt for a reliever instead of using Skenes in the eighth.
“He was tired,” Shelton explained. “It really didn’t have anything to do with the pitch count. Everybody makes it about pitch counts; it was about where he was at. It was about trusting your eyes, trusting him.”
The manager summarized that Skenes, 22, “gave us everything he had” in seven near-perfect innings.

Suddenly, someone had hit a rewind button and everyone had been transported back seven months. It was early spring instead of late fall, it was broiling hot outside the arena walls and not freezing cold. Everyone was back at TD Garden. There were 19,156 frenzied fans on their feet begging for blood, poised for the kill.












