Paul Skenes excels, but Pirates no-hit by Orioles

Paul Skenes had a strong performance in his final spring training game on Saturday. The Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings against the Baltimore Orioles, helping him prepare for the regular season. Skenes will start for the Pirates on Opening Day in Miami this Thursday. Despite Skenes' good outing, the Pirates lost to the Orioles 4-0 and were no-hit by seven Baltimore pitchers. The Orioles scored three runs in the seventh inning, pulling away after a scoreless game. Skenes was taken out after his solid performance with a score tied at 0-0. Manager Derek Shelton praised Skenes, saying he was efficient and executed well. Skenes finished spring training with a 2-0 record and a 2.50 ERA, striking out 23 batters in 18 innings. He mentioned that he learned a lot during spring training and is excited for the regular season. The Pirates also have two more spring training games before the season starts. They will face the Toronto Blue Jays and the Minnesota Twins before heading to Miami. In other news, 23-year-old Thomas Harrington will start the last spring training game. This is notable as he might take a spot in the starting rotation. Harrington has had a successful spring, with a 2.70 ERA. Additionally, Hunter Stratton made his first appearance of the spring. He returned after an injury last season and struck out two batters in his relief outing.