PITTSBURGH — Paul Skenes is making history look routine. For the third time in his last four starts, the Pittsburgh Pirates' ace danced with perfection, delivering a dominant performance that led his team to a 3-1 victory over the Colorado Rockies at PNC Park on Tuesday night.

From the first pitch, Skenes was in complete control. He struck out the first six batters he faced—a feat he's now accomplished twice in his young career—and carried a perfect game into the fifth inning. That bid ended when he hit Troy Johnston with a pitch, but the no-hitter remained intact until Mickey Moniak broke it up with a one-out single in the seventh. By then, Skenes had already cemented his place in baseball lore.

The final line was staggering: 8.0 innings, two hits, no runs, no walks, and a season-high 10 strikeouts on 98 pitches. It was the kind of start that reminds fans why Skenes is already being mentioned among the game's elite arms.

With the win, Skenes improved to 6-2 on the season. He also joined an exclusive club: only four pitchers in the Modern Era (since 1901) have thrown eight scoreless innings while allowing two or fewer hits and zero walks in back-to-back starts. The others? Hall of Famer Cy Young, Billy Pierce, and Mat Latos. Not bad company.

The Pirates' offense gave him just enough support. Nick Gonzales delivered a two-out RBI single in the first inning, scoring Oneil Cruz—who doubled on the very first pitch he saw. Cruz doubled again in the fifth and came home on a Brandon Lowe base hit. An insurance run crossed in the seventh when Bryan Reynolds reached on an infield single with the bases loaded. The Rockies finally broke through in the ninth with a run off Gregory Soto, but the damage was done.

For fans who love the art of pitching, this was a masterclass. And for the Pirates, it's the kind of performance that can define a season. Skenes isn't just flirting with history—he's making it his own.