Jacob Misiorowski and Paul Skenes needed fewer than 80 pitches each to set new standards for velocity in the first matchup between these 23-year-old flamethrowers.

Misiorowski struck out eight and allowed two hits and two walks in five shutout innings as his Brewers defeated Skenes’ Pittsburgh Pirates 4-2 in Milwaukee on Wednesday.

Skenes lasted just four innings — matching the second-shortest outing of his career — while striking out four and allowing four runs, four hits and two walks. All four runs came in the second inning, as the Brewers went through all nine batters in a 37-pitch inning. Never before had Skenes faced that many hitters, thrown that many pitches or yielded that many runs in a single inning.

Misiorowski said he made an extra effort to avoid getting caught up in all the hype surrounding the rookie’s highly anticipated matchup with Skenes.

“It was just one of those things that you wanted to try and calm yourself down as much as possible and stay off the internet, because I feel like everything I swiped was me and Skenes, me and Skenes, me and Skenes,” Misiorowski said. “I had to mute it, turn it off.”

In the second inning, after the Brewers’ Isaac Collins drew a leadoff walk, Brice Turang and Caleb Durbin each followed with a single to center field to load the bases with nobody out. Collins scored on Joey Ortiz‘s groundout along the first-base line, and Eric Haase doubled to bring in Turang. Sal Frelick connected on a splitter that went to Pirates second baseman Nick Gonzales, but an overthrow to catcher Henry Davis at the plate allowed Durbin to come around and score. Christian Yelich increased the lead to four runs with a single to left field that brought in Haase.

It was only the third time in 40 career starts that Skenes had given up as many as four runs, and it snapped a stretch of nine straight starts in which he had allowed two runs or fewer. Skenes also had not allowed a run in the first two innings of a game since Aug. 28, 2024.

According to Sportradar, Misiorowski averaged 99.5 mph and Skenes averaged 98.5 on their fastballs. That represented the highest combined fastball velocity by two starting pitchers in the same game since at least 2009.

Misiorowski reached at least 100 mph on 19 of his 74 pitches while establishing a career high of 102.4 mph, the fastest strikeout pitch for a Brewer in the pitch tracking era (since 2008), according to ESPN Research. And Skenes got to 100 mph once out of 78 pitches. Since at least 2009, this marked the most combined 100 mph pitches by opposing starters for any game in which both reached that threshold at least once.

“I’ve watched plenty of his games,” Misiorowski said of Skenes. “It’s awesome to face a guy like that and really compare yourself to some of the best.”

There have been 19 occasions since 2000 in which a single pitcher has thrown at least 20 pitches of at least 100 mph, but in none of those instances did the opposing starter also reach 100 mph.

Through his first three career starts, Misiorowski owns a 3-0 record and a 1.13 ERA. He has struck out 19 while allowing only three hits and seven walks over 16 innings. He is the first pitcher since 1900 with as many or more wins as hits allowed over his first three major league appearances (minimum 15 innings pitched), according to ESPN Research.

What advice would Skenes give Misiorowski about how to handle the scrutiny that could accompany an emergence to stardom?

“You’ve got to protect yourself, for lack of a better term, obviously, with the media, but I assume if he goes and walks around Milwaukee now, there’s going to be more people that recognize him and all that,” said Skenes, who met Misiorowski for the first time Monday. “If he does what he’s supposed to do and everybody thinks he can do, that’s not going away any time soon. Get used to it and find ways to find peace and that kind of thing.”

Wednesday’s performance increased Skenes’ career ERA from 1.91 to 2.03 and dropped his record this season to 4-7.

“They did a good job of getting to some pitches,” Skenes said. “I wasn’t unhappy with the execution of all of those; there are probably a couple that could have been better. But they did a good job.”

Reliever Trevor Megill threw a perfect ninth for his 18th save of the season, as Milwaukee won its sixth game in the past seven.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

CHICAGO — A 22-year-old fan has been banned indefinitely from all MLB ballparks after yelling something about Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte‘s late mother during Tuesday night’s game against the Chicago White Sox, according to a source.

Marte, 31, was brought to tears by the incident, which occurred while he was at bat in the seventh inning. Marte’s mother, Elpidia Valdez, died in a car accident in the Dominican Republic in 2017.

Team personnel, including Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo, heard the comment and asked for the fan to be ejected. According to a source familiar with the situation, the fan was remorseful for his actions, admitting to his inappropriate comments.

“We commend the White Sox for taking immediate action in removing the fan,” said MLB in a statement.

Marte declined comment after the game Tuesday. It’s not publicly known what the fan said to upset the 11-year veteran.

Marte received a round of applause during his first at bat of Wednesday’s game.

We’re with you, @ketel_marte4 🫶 pic.twitter.com/1F7j5fFz8K

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) June 25, 2025

It’s not the first incident this season of a fan yelling something inappropriate at a player on the field.

In April, a fan in Cleveland yelled at Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran after the player shared in a documentary that he had attempted suicide three years ago. The fan was ejected and banned from the ballpark after that incident as well.

The White Sox avoided being swept in the series finale Wednesday with a 7-3 victory. Marte went hitless in four at-bats with two strikeouts.

Braves slugger Ronald Acuna Jr. said Wednesday he’ll be competing in the Home Run Derby at Truist Park in Atlanta.

Acuna made the announcement on “SportsCenter” ahead of the Braves’ game against the Mets in New York.

“I’m just happy to announce that I’ll be participating in this year’s Home Run Derby, and I’m even more excited to be doing it at home in Atlanta in front of our fans,” Acuna said through an interpreter. “They’re a big reason I’m doing this. I’m Ronald Acuna Jr. because of their support. I’m just excited to go back and home and do this for them.”

Acuna, a four-time All-Star, will be competing in the derby for the third time in his career. He lost to the Pete Alonso 20-19 in the semifinals in 2019, then lost to the Mets slugger again 20-19 in the first round at Dodger Stadium in 2022.

No Braves player ever has won the competition.

“I feel like the expectation and the goal is always to win, no matter what,” he said. “But more than anything, I’m just excited to do it in front of our fans and put on a good show for them.”

Acuna rejoined the Braves in late May, almost one year after he tore his left ACL, and proceeded to hit a 467-foot on the first pitch of his first at-bat. He hasn’t slowed down, carrying a .385 average, nine homers and 16 RBIs into Wednesday night’s game vs. the Mets.

This year’s Home Run Derby will take place July 14, with the All-Star Game the following day.