Pirates ace Paul Skenes gives up 7 hits for the 1st time — in his 47th career start!

PITTSBURGH (AP) — It took 47 major league games before Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes gave up seven hits to an opposing lineup.

Skenes’ record streak of allowing six or fewer hits ended at 46 starts on Thursday night in a 7-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

According to OptaStats, the longest such streak to begin a career (excluding openers) previously belonged to Shohei Ohtani, who went 31 starts from 2018-21 for the Los Angeles Angels.

Skenes (7-8) yielded seven hits over six innings Thursday night. He struck out eight and lowered his ERA to 1.94, lowest among qualified pitchers. He also extended his scoreless streak at home to 27 2/3 innings; he hasn’t allowed a run at PNC Park since June 8 against Philadelphia — and that one was unearned.

“His stuff was elite,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said.

Skenes hasn’t permitted an earned run over his past five starts at PNC Park, the longest such stretch for a Pirates pitcher at home since earned runs became an official National League statistic in 1912. Skenes had shared the team record with Bob Harmon (1915) and Zane Smith (1990).

The 23-year-old right-hander is the youngest major league pitcher since 1920 with such a streak.

“Every time he goes out, he’s unbelievable, the way he’s able to attack hitters,” Kelly said.

Skenes has been especially effective against the Reds, with a 4-0 career record and 0.39 ERA to go with 33 strikeouts.

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