MILWAUKEE (AP) — Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski and Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes didn’t need to throw as many as 80 pitches to set new standards for velocity on Wednesday 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’ Pirates 4-2.
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 — reaching a career-best peak of 102.4 — and Skenes got to 100 mph once out of 78 pitches. Since at least 2009, this marked the most combined 100-mph pitches by opposing starters for any game in which both reached that threshold at least once.
There have been 19 times since 2000 in which a single pitcher has thrown at least 20 pitches of at least 100 mph, but in none of those instances did the opposing starter also reach 100 mph.
Through his first three career starts, Misiorowski owns a 3-0 record and 1.13 ERA. He has struck out 19 while allowing only four hits and seven walks over 16 innings.
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. It was only the third time in 40 career starts that Skenes has given up as many as four runs.
The performance increased Skenes’ career ERA from 1.91 to 2.03.
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