Jacob Misiorowski outduels Skenes in young stars' first meeting - ESPN

Jacob Misiorowski and Paul Skenes needed fewer than 80 pitches each to set new standards for velocity in the first matchup between these 23-year-old flamethrowers.

Misiorowski struck out eight and allowed two hits and two walks in five shutout innings as his Brewers defeated Skenes' Pittsburgh Pirates 4-2 in Milwaukee on Wednesday.

Skenes lasted just four innings — matching the second-shortest outing of his career — while striking out four and allowing four runs, four hits and two walks. All four runs came in the second inning, as the Brewers went through all nine batters.

After Isaac Collins drew a leadoff walk, Brice Turang and Caleb Durbin each followed with a single to center field to load the bases with nobody out. Collins scored on Joey Ortiz's groundout along the first-base line, and Eric Haase doubled to bring in Turang. Sal Frelick connected on a splitter that went to Pirates second baseman Nick Gonzales, but an overthrow to catcher Henry Davis at the plate allowed Durbin to come around and score. Christian Yelich increased the lead to four runs with a single to left field that brought in Haase.

It was only the third time in 40 career starts that Skenes had given up as many as four runs, and it snapped a stretch of nine straight starts in which he had allowed two runs or fewer. Skenes also had not allowed a run in the first two innings of a game since Aug. 28, 2024.

According to Sportradar, Misiorowski averaged 99.5 mph and Skenes averaged 98.5 on their fastballs. That represented the highest combined fastball velocity by two starting pitchers in the same game since at least 2009.

Misiorowski reached at least 100 mph on 19 of his 74 pitches while establishing a career high of 102.4 mph, the fastest strikeout