Pirates rookie southpaw Zach Duke has been amazing this year. He tossed 30 consecutive innings without an earned run, and became just the second starting pitcher in team history to win his first five decisions.

Duke has made seven starts, and he’s 5-0 with a miniscule 1.54 ERA. Not bad for a guy who was a 20th-round pick in the 2001 Draft.

MLB.com’s Pirates beat writer, Ed Eagle, wrote a nice piece today on the rookie phenom.

I have watched Duke pitch a few times this summer and I like what I see. He won’t blow you away, but he’s got amazing control for a 22-year-old. The sky’s the limit for this youngster.