"He's a Hall of Famer" - Paul Skenes reflects on Nolan Arenado hitting home run for the Cardinals off him

Pittsburgh prodigy Paul Skenes put veteran Nolan Arenado firmly in Hall of Fame status while speaking after Tuesday's 2-1 loss to the St Louis Cardinals. Arenado gave St. Louis a 1-0 lead with his solo home run in the fifth inning, and the Cardinals got the game-winner on Alec Burleson's single in the ninth in the longest outing of Skenes' rookie season.

"Maybe it wasn't the right pitch to throw there," Skenes said. "I executed it well. He's a really good hitter. He's a (potential) Hall of Famer, so these things are going to happen. It's just about getting back."

Paul Skenes records first MLB loss despite solid outing

Back at PNC Park fresh off his first All-Star Game appearance, Paul Skenes (6-1) threw 104 pitches and stayed out there through 8.1 innings, striking out eight in the process. He came back out for the ninth to a standing ovation and left the game to a standing ovation.

Tuesday's result was a slight dampener on an otherwise exceptional start to life in the big leagues for Skenes.

With Skenes and St. Louis veteran Lance Lynn locked in a pitchers' duel, Nolan Arenado broke the deadlock in the fifth inning, driving a 385-foot solo home run into the crowd behind left field.

After Nick Gonzales drove in Oneil Cruz to tie the game at 1-1 in the eighth, Skenes, who had pitched efficiently through eight innings, came back out for the ninth.

For Arenado, who finds himself at pretty much the opposite end of his baseball career to Paul Skenes, moments such as these encouraging signs of the veteran well playing his way back. Crucial at-bats in recent games, along with a huge improvement in avoiding strikeouts all show that the Cardinals third baseman is finally finding solutions for a lot of problems at the plate that were plaguing him.

The signs are especially encouraging for any postseason aspirations as well, with the Redbirds sitting second in the National League Central standings. The timing couldn't have been better, and the Cardinals will need much more of the same from their main man come the business end of the season.