Pirates send out Paul Skenes in series decider vs. Cubs

It can be tough for second-year players to match a strong rookie season. However, for Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes, it's been business as usual.

The right-hander looks to continue his effective sophomore campaign when he faces the visiting Chicago Cubs in the rubber match of a three-game set on Thursday.

Skenes sparkled last season, going 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA in 23 starts, and was selected the National League Rookie of the Year. This year, he is 3-2 with a 2.39 ERA and an NL-leading 0.796 WHIP. Opponents are batting .190 against him through six starts.

Still, the 22-year-old LSU product knows there is more to learn.

"They've all kind of seen my stuff, so at this point, it's just more of a cat-and-mouse game," Skenes said. "Over the course of last season, we probably saw every approach that could happen. Now it's just a matter of recognizing it when we get into a game."

A diverse arsenal of pitches has helped Skenes find success again this season. In his latest outing, against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday, he opted for his curveball 17 times despite using it only 5.5 percent of the time previously. He struck out nine Los Angeles batters and allowed only five hits and no walks while going 6 1/3 innings in a 3-0 Pittsburgh victory.

"That's where he's elite," manager Derek Shelton said. "It's his ability, especially at 22, to be able to disseminate how he's going to break down a game, and then also realize what's working that day, and he's fortunate that he's got multiple weapons to actually attack people."

Skenes is 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA and 30 strikeouts in four career starts against the Cubs.

The Pirates enter the Thursday tilt having rallied for a 4-3 win against the Cubs on Wednesday. Ke'Bryan Hayes went 2-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to 10 games. He is batting .333 (13-for-39) in that stretch.

The Cubs, meanwhile, will look to avoid dropping consecutive series for the first time this season. Chicago, which has lost three of its past four games, has dropped only three series so far, including a three-game set against the Philadelphia Phillies last weekend.

"We have a bit of a target on our back. We're the Chicago Cubs," right-hander Jameson Taillon said. "Teams like it when we come to town; they want to beat us. There's no time to step off the gas."

Dansby Swanson is one who is looking to put the pedal to the metal offense. The shortstop produced his first three-hit game of the season on Wednesday, but it merely improved his slash line to .203/.256/.382 through 31 games.

"It's always good to get hits," he said. "Those are something that you never obviously take for granted. But being able to get solidified just in the work that I'm doing and get some clarity in what I'm doing, sometimes that can go a long way, just to be able to take that into a game and be able to just go compete with confidence and whatever happens, happens."

Right-hander Colin Rea (1-0, 0.96 ERA) will get the nod for Chicago, coming off a six-inning scoreless effort in a win over the Phillies on Friday. He is 2-3 with a 6.52 ERA in seven career appearances (five starts) against Pittsburgh.

The teams will return to action in the wake of a scary scene during Wednesday's contest. In the seventh inning, a fan tumbled out of the right field stands and onto the warning track. The man was tended to by medical personnel and transported to a hospital in critical condition.

Pittsburgh's Andrew McCutchen was running out a double at the time of the incident.

McCutchen later tweeted, "Truly hate what happened tonight. Can't help but think about that guy, his family and friends. I pray tonight for him. Let us think about his loved ones and hug our families a little tighter tonight. I hope he pulls thru. May God Bless you all. Good night"