​The Pittsburgh Pirates are closing out the first half of their season by welcoming the Milwaukee Brewers for a crucial NL Central showdown. The spotlight will be on Paul Skenes, who takes the mound with the aim of building on his most recent performance against the Atlanta Braves on July 7. In that outing, he worked six innings, allowing eight hits but holding the Braves to only four runs, and the Pirates surged to a 12-4 victory at home. That win snapped a nine-game stretch without a win for Skenes, marking his first victory since May 12.
This marks Skenes’ second regular-season appearance against the Brewers this year; he previously turned in an impressive performance on April 24, when he fired seven shutout innings and limited Milwaukee to a single hit in a 6-0 road win. The Pirates are hoping for a repeat of that dominant form in today’s game, as Skenes looks to carry his momentum into this interleague matchup.
Adding to the Pirates’ intrigue, Skenes recently claimed the Cy Young Award, and there’s chatter about a potential passing of the torch to Jacob Misiorowski as the season progresses. Misiorowski is one of nine MLB pitchers to already reach 10 wins by the midpoint of the season, and he’s doing so with an earned run average under 2.00. In his latest outing on July 7 against the St. Louis Cardinals, Misiorowski delivered seven innings of work, yielding three hits and three earned runs, though the Pirates still earned a 4-3 victory at Busch Stadium.
Game details and broadcast information:
– Location: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
– Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM and Peacock
– Pitching matchup: Jacob Misiorowski (10-4, 1.62 ERA) vs. Paul Skenes (6-8, 3.62 ERA)
This matchup promises a compelling clash between the Pirates’ rising ace and the Brewers, who will be looking to spoil the home team’s celebration as the first half of the season draws to a close.
Share your thoughts, Pirates fans, in the comments below and join the conversation about this pivotal midseason showdown.