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Paul Skenes made his much-anticipated MLB debut for the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday, and watching him take the field against the Chicago Cubs was his girlfriend, Olivia Dunne. Skenes had a solid debut, albeit one with a couple of scary moments for Pirates fans, and considering the hype and pressure, he performed admirably.
Dunne took to Instagram stories on Saturday to share a few snaps from the game. That included Paul Skenes' first MLB strikeout and a rainbow seen from PNC Park amid the Pittsburgh rain.
"Oh my goodness! First MLB strikeout."
Skenes pitched four innings versus Chicago, and while he allowed six hits, three runs and a home run, there were flashes of brilliance on a nervy day.
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Skenes told reporters after the game, in which the Pirates recorded a vital 10-9 win to move to 18-22 and one game closer to the second-placed, 23-17 Cubs in the NL Central:
“You can chalk it up to a number of things,” Skenes said. “But it just wasn’t as sharp as it’s been.”
Olivia Dunne discusses the magnitude of Paul Skenes' MLB debut
During the third innings, Olivia Dunne was on the broadcast and discussed the importance of the debut for Paul Skenes professionally as well as what it meant for her
"I have so many amazing memories with him, but I know how hard he’s worked for this moment," Dunne said. "All the hours, I just know what a hard worker he is. This is probably one of my favorite moments I’ve ever seen. Seriously, there is nothing that can top this. I’m just so proud.
"The support here is awesome. Pittsburgh has been so welcoming. … The support here is unreal, and I love it."
With the Pirates looking to push on and string together a sequence of wins, fans are hoping that the arrival of Paul Skenes can help lift the team. Pittsburgh faces the Cubs again on Sunday in another important matchup.
The Milwaukee Brewers have won three straight against the St. Louis Cardinals and top the Central at 24-15, so if the Pirates are to challenge for the division, they need to find their early season form and fast.
