Rookie Pitcher Receives Standing Ovation from Opposing Team’s Fans.
Star LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne and her boyfriend, MLB rookie pitcher Paul Skenes, are quickly becoming a power couple, with Skenes making significant waves in his debut season with the Pittsburgh Pirates. During a game against the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday evening, the 22-year-old received an unexpected standing ovation from the opposing team’s fans at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MO.
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Skenes, also an LSU alum who started dating Dunne last summer, was pulled from the game by Pirates manager Derek Shelton in the bottom of the seventh inning after allowing a double to Nolan Arenado. Up to that point, Skenes had thrown 103 pitches over six and one-third scoreless innings, striking out eight batters without issuing a walk.
As he walked off the mound towards the third-base dugout, the stadium, filled with Cardinals fans, erupted into loud cheers. Many fans stood up and tipped their hats to Skenes, a gesture that Pirates color commentator Neil Walker called “incredible.”
“Look at this, we’ve got Cardinals fans giving him a standing ovation, incredible,” Walker said during the broadcast.
Skenes’ Impressive Debut Season
Chosen first overall in the 2023 MLB draft, Skenes has quickly proven to be a valuable asset for the Pirates. After starting the 2024 season with the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians, he made his big league debut against the Cubs at PNC Park in Chicago on May 11. In that game, Skenes threw 17 fastballs at a minimum of 100 miles per hour and struck out seven batters, though he surrendered three earned runs in four innings. Through his first six starts, Skenes has maintained a 2.43 ERA with 46 strikeouts.
Tuesday’s game against the Cardinals may have been Skenes’ best outing yet. He threw a total of 11 pitches at 99.5 mph or faster and recorded 14 swings and misses, ultimately helping the Pirates secure a narrow 2-1 victory. His pitching skills are evidently so impressive that even the opposing fanbase couldn’t help but show their appreciation.
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