Paul Skenes Keeps Dominating Reds; Pair of Homers Pace Pirates Win
PITTSBURGH — A pair of home runs backed an excellent start from Paul Skenes in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 7-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds at PNC Park on Thursday night.
How We Got There
Skenes (7-8) held the Reds (60-56) scoreless across six innings pitched. He allowed seven hits, didn’t walk a batter and struck out eight.
The Pirates (50-66) put up a three-spot in the first inning, all of which came with two outs. Bryan Reynolds hit an opposite-field home run, and Reds starter Brady Singer walked the next three batters he faced. Jared Triolo then plated a pair with a base hit up the middle.
Spencer Horwitz extended the lead to 4-0 with an RBI single in the fourth inning. Oneil Cruz added another with an RBI groundout in the sixth.
Henry Davis belted a two-run home run off Reds reliever Brent Suter in the bottom of the seventh to put Pittsburgh ahead 7-0.
Key Moment
Jared Triolo’s two-run single in the bottom of the first padded the Pirates’ early lead and gave Paul Skenes more than enough wiggle room.
Star of the Game
After going eight starts without a win from early June until the middle of July, Paul Skenes has won each of his last three decisions by tossing six-shutout innings in this one.
Stat to Know
Notable Performances
- Paul Skenes: 6.0 innings, seven hits, no runs, no walks, eight strikeouts, 97 pitches/69 strikes
- Henry Davis: 2 for 4, one home run, two RBI, two runs
- Bryan Reynolds: 2 for 4, one home run, one RBI, one run
- Jared Triolo: 2 for 4, two RBI, one run
- Andrew McCutchen: 0 for 1, four walks, one run
Noteworthy
- Bryan Reynolds’ home run was his first since June 29 against the New York Mets. Henry Davis’ homer was his first since June 7 against the Philadelphia Phillies.
- Oneil Cruz snapped an 0-for-20 slump with a single to left-center in the third inning.
- Andrew McCutchen drew four walks in a game for the first time since Aug. 10, 2018 with the Giants in a game against the Pirates. It marks the fourth time in his career he’s drawn four walks in a game.
- The Pirates have scored 18 first-run innings over their last seven games.
Up Next
RHP Mitch Keller (5-10, 3.89 ERA) will start for the Pirates in the second game of the series on Friday night. Rookie RHP Chase Burns (0-3, 6.04 ERA) goes for the Reds. First pitch: 6:40 p.m. ET.
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