Braves Today

Max Fried Matches Paul Skenes as Atlanta Braves KO Pirates in 10

Atlanta Braves ace Max Fried matched Pittsburgh Pirates phenom Paul Skenes through six as the Atlanta Braves prevail in the 10th.

Harrison Smajovits

Atlanta Braves pitcher Max Fried allowed just-one run in his pitchers duel with Pittsburgh Pirates phenom Paul Skenes
Atlanta Braves pitcher Max Fried allowed just-one run in his pitchers duel with Pittsburgh Pirates phenom Paul Skenes / Jordan Godfree-USA TODAY Sports
In this story:

The top storyline heading into the game was the matchup on the mound. Atlanta Braves ace Max Fried took the mound Saturday going up against the Pittsburgh Pirates rookie phenom starter, Paul Skenes.

“At the end of the day, I’m not going up against the other pitcher, I’m going against the other lineup,” Fried said of the matchup in a postgame interview. “You know that runs are probably going to be at a premium. You really to try to hold the other side to a couple runs and just figure out how to do it.” 

Skenes flinched first out of the gate when he gave up a solo shot to Jarred Kelenic to lead off the bottom of the first to give the Braves a very early 1-0 lead. 

The Pirates plated a run against Fried in the top of the fifth when Edward Olivares hit a sac-fly to right, scoring Michael Taylor to tie the game 1-1. 

It’s hard to say either pitcher outdueled the other. Both pitched six innings allowing just one run. Both allowed six hits as well. The game was tied when they both left the game. If a winner needed to be decided, Skenes had two walks to Fried’s three and nine strikeouts to Fried’s four. 

Skenes arguably outpitched Fried. 

Following both pitcher’s departures, the game remained 1-1 heading into the 10th inning. The Pirates looked like they had the go-ahead run, but the Braves challenged the play at the plate. Pitcher Daysbel Hernandez tagged Olivares just before his foot slid over home plate. 

Adam Duvall, who already saved a run on a defensive play in the sixth inning, led off the bottom of the 10th for the Braves, and on the second pitch of the inning hit a long shot into the right-center gap to score Luke Williams and win it in the 10th. Fried got the last laugh in the end. 

Fried also got to see his teammate come up in the clutch when he had been struggling most of the season. 

"You knew it was a matter of time. Duvy is a hell of a player,” Fried said of Duvall. “He's been one for a long time."

The Braves eye a sweep Sunday afternoon. Spencer Schwellenbach (1-3, 5.40) looks to bounce back from a rough outing in St. Louis (5 IP, 4 ER) when he faces the Pirates' Bailey Falter (3-6, 4.00). First pitch is set for 11:35 a.m.

Published
Harrison Smajovits

HARRISON SMAJOVITS

Home/News