Paul Skenes Outdueled By Brewers Star Rookie Pitcher

Jacob Misiorowski made just the third start of his Major League Baseball career on Wednesday, and he's already looked so unhittable through the first two that his outings have become must-see TV.

Wednesday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates though, beyond featuring Misiorowski, also showcased arguably the best pitcher in baseball, Paul Skenes. Skenes-Misiorowski, quickly one of the most highly anticipated matchups of the first half of the season. And somewhat surprisingly, round one of this division rivalry went to Misiorowski and the Milwaukee Brewers.

Skenes was electric in his first inning of work, striking out Christian Yelich and Rhys Hoskins after a leadoff walk. The second inning though, unraveled quickly. Though mostly not of his own doing.

Isaac Collins worked a leadoff walk, Brice Turang and Caleb Durbin singled to load the bases with nobody out. Joey Ortiz's swinging bunt scored a run, before a 67mph blooper fell in front of a diving Oneil Cruz to score a second run. Inexplicably, second baseman Nick Gonzalez attempted to throw home on a routine grounder to second, throwing the ball away instead of taking a second out. After Jackson Chourio flew out, Christian Yelich drove home the fourth run of the inning with a single. Adding insult to injury after what should have been the third out.

Some of it was Skenes' doing, some wasn't. Misiorowski though, was once again dominant.

READ: Milwaukee Brewers Might Have Found Major League Baseball's Next Best Pitcher

Pittsburgh Pirates RHP Paul Skenes fires one in vs. the San Francisco Giants at PNC Park in Pennsylvania. (Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports)

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The first inning was peak-Misiorowski. He got Spencer Horowitz on strikes with five straight 100mph+ fastballs, including one clocked at 102. He threw four more 100mph+ fastballs to Nick Gonzalez, a 96.2mph slider, and a devastating curveball to get him swinging too. 

It's not just the velocity though; Misiorowksi has demonstrated impeccable command, especially for a pitcher this early in his career. Against Oneil Cruz, he dotted 102mph fastballs down and in, then again on the outside corner. How is anyone supposed to hit this?

He got Isiah Kiner-Falefa on a devastating 95mph slider over the inside corner. Ridiculous.

Thus far, through the first 16 innings of his career, Misiorowski has allowed all of three hits in 16 innings to go along with 19 strikeouts. Hard to do better than that.

Skenes was pulled after just four innings, thanks to the heavy 37-pitch workload in the second. Misiorowski went five innings, allowing no runs, just four baserunners, with eight strikeouts. Milwaukee held on to a 4-2 win, with their only runs coming in that somewhat unlucky inning for Skenes. This is going to a must-see matchup for years to come.