Roundtable Sports' Brandon Liguori recaps the Marlins' 2-0 shutout win over the Pirates and Paul Skenes on Tuesday at loanDepot park.
MIAMI — Run to the convenience store and buy yourself a lottery ticket if you had the Miami Marlins going 2-0 against Paul Skenes in 2026.
The Esteury Ruiz show was on full display Tuesday in the Marlins' 2-0 series-opening win over the Pittsburgh Pirates (58-63) at loanDepot park.
First, Ruiz took Skenes deep in the third inning for a no-doubt home run into the left-field seats to give Miami an early 1-0 lead. The ball traveled 384 feet, according to Statcast.
Ruiz became the first MLB player to hit a home run off Skenes while batting ninth, according to the Marlins.
Then, in the fifth inning, Ruiz was hit by a pitch, stole second on a delayed steal and scored on Xavier Edwards' single to extend the Marlins' lead to 2-0.
The Marlins (61-59) chased Skenes after five innings and just 65 pitches, his third-lowest pitch total in a game this season.
On the flip side, Marlins right-hander Eury Pérez was brilliant Tuesday, tossing seven shutout innings while allowing three hits and two walks and striking out seven.
After the game, Marlins manager Clayton McCullough praised Pérez and his diverse pitch arsenal while also tipping his cap to Miami's defensive display Tuesday.
McCullough added that Pérez was open to working with Miami's pitching staff on how he can take his game to the next level and reach Skenes-type status.
Skenes won the National League Cy Young Award in 2025.
Tuesday also marked Griffin Conine's start at first base as he filled in for Kyle Stowers, who was placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Aug. 10, before first pitch because of a Grade 1 left hamstring strain.
Defensively, Conine played a clean, error-free game but was less fortunate at the plate.
In the first inning, Conine hit a fly ball to deep center field with a 104.6 mph exit velocity that traveled 400 feet before being caught.
He did pick up a single when his ground ball hit the second-base bag and rolled into center field.
Conine then drilled a ball 376 feet to left-center field in the fifth inning, only to have Pirates left fielder Bryan Reynolds rob him at the wall.
The Marlins.TV broadcast caught Conine smiling as he trotted back to the dugout.
Closer Pete Fairbanks worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning to earn his 18th save of the season.
Fairbanks has converted five straight saves and has not allowed an earned run in seven consecutive outings.
The Marlins will trout out right-hander Janson Junk (5-7, 4.63 ERA) to the mound Wednesday for a 6:40 p.m. ET first pitch.
