Paul Skenes Flirts With Perfect Game in Pirates’ Win Over Brewers; Happy Birthday Konnor Griffin!

Danny Demilio |

Apr 24, 2026

Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh Pirates — Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes (30) walks to the bull pen in before a baseball game between the Atlanta Braves and the Pittsburgh Pirates, Saturday, June 29, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Paul Skenes retired the first 20 batters he faced and Konnor Griffin hit his first-career home run on his 20th birthday for the Pittsburgh Pirates in their 6-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers American Family Field on Friday night.

Scoring Plays

Top 3rd, 1-0 PIT: Konnor Griffin connected on his first-career home run — on his 20th birthday and in his 20th game — off Brandon Woodruff (2-1). His opposite-field solo shot broke a scoreless tie.

Top 4th, 2-0 PIT: With two on and two out, Nick Gonzales brought home a run with a base hit to left off Woodruff. Bryan Reynolds was thrown out trying to advance to third base.

Top 5th, 3-0 PIT: With runners on the corners and one out, Oneil Cruz hit a grounder to first base and Spencer Horwitz beat a throw home.

Top 6th, 4-0 PIT: Horwitz tacked on another for the Pirates (15-11) with an RBI single up the middle off Shane Drohan, who relieved Woodruff after five innings.

Top 8th, 6-0 PIT: With the bases loaded against Drohan, Griffin capped off his big night with a two-run single to center.

Key Moments

Home run No. 1 in the career of Konnor Griffin:

.@KonnorGriffin22's first Major-League Home Run comes on his 20th birthday. How can you not be romantic about baseball? pic.twitter.com/Is1qCKBKfc
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) April 25, 2026

Jake Bauers ended Paul Skenes’ perfect game bid with a dribbler through the right side with two outs in the seventh inning.

Player of the Game

Konnor Griffin had a birthday he’ll never forget with his first home run and career-highs in hits (three) and RBI (three). Paul Skenes (4-1) was pretty much untouchable against the Brewers (13-12). Skenes threw seven-scoreless of one-hit ball.

They’ll share the honor tonight.

Stat to Know

Konnor Griffin is the third player since at least 1900 to homer on his birthday at age 20 years or younger. The others are Aramis Ramirez (1998) and Buddy Lewis (1936) — both of whom were Pirates. (Stat from Sarah Langs on Twittwe/X.

Notable Performances

Paul Skenes: 7.0 innings, one hit, no runs, no walks, seven strikeouts, 93 pitches/62 strikes
Konnor Griffin: 3 for 4, one home run, three RBI, one run, one steal
Ryan O’Hearn: 2 for 4, one double, two runs

Noteworthy

This was Paul Skenes’ longest outing since also throwing seven innings against the Colorado Rockies last year on Aug. 24
Last year, Skenes didn’t get his fourth win of the season until May 28, which was his 12th start of the season.
INF Jared Triolo (right knee patellar tendon) began a rehab assignment with Low-A Bradenton on Friday night.

Up Next

The Pirates will send out RHP Mitch Keller (2-1, 2.79 ERA) in the second game of the weekend series on Saturday. RHP Jacob Misiorowski (1-2, 3.04 ERA) will start for the Brewers. First pitch: 7:10 p.m. ET on SportsNetPittsburgh+/93.7TheFan.