Pirates

Pirates Preview: Paul Skenes Makes First Home Start

Published

1 week ago

April 8, 2025

The Pittsburgh Pirates saw their bats finally break out in an 8-4 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday night at PNC Park.

Four different Pirates had at least two hits and starter Carmen Mlodzinski pitched five-strong innings in the win.

The Pirates (4-7) will look to make it three wins in a row as their series against the Cardinals (4-6) continues on Tuesday night on a frigid April day in Pittsburgh.

First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on SportsNet Pittsburgh as well as 93.7 The Fan.

Weather

Mix of cloud and sun but temperatures in the 30s through the game. Winds NW at 7-13 mph.

RHP Paul Skenes (1-0, 1.46 ERA) Will Start for the Pirates

Skenes earned his first win of the season when he allowed one unearned run on three hits and struck out six in 7.0 innings against the Tampa Bay Rays last week.

In Skenes’ first start of the season on Opening Day in Miami, he allowed a pair of runs and struck out seven in 5.1 innings but took a no-decision.

The 22-year-old is coming off a sensational season that resulted in National League Rookie of the Year honors after going 11-3 with a sparkling 1.96 ERA in 23 starts.

Skenes is seeking his first-career win against the Cardinals. In three starts against them last year, he went 0-2 despite a 1.31 ERA.

RHP Sonny Gray (1-0, 5.73 ERA) Will Start for the Cardinals

There has been some good and some bad for Gray through his first two starts of the season.

The veteran right-hander has struck out 15 and walked two in 11.0 innings but has been charged with seven runs and has surrendered three home runs.

In 28 starts in his first season with St. Louis in 2024, Gray went 13-9 with a 3.84 ERA and 203 strikeouts — the second-most he’s had in a season in his career.

Gray has made 12 appearances/11 starts against the Pirates in his career and is 5-4 with a 4.20 ERA. Only three of those appearances have come at PNC Park.

Cardinals Hitters vs. Skenes

Masyn Winn: 1 for 10, two strikeouts
Nolan Arenado: 4 for 9, one double, one home run, two RBIs,
Alec Burleson: 4 for 9, one RBI, one walk, one strikeout
Brendan Donovan: 1 for 7
Michael Siani: 1 for 7, one double, three strikeouts
Lars Nootbaar: 0 for 5, three strikeouts
Pedro Pagés: 0 for 4, two strikeouts
Willson Contreras: 0 for 3, one strikeout

Pirates Hitters vs. Gray

Bryan Reynolds: 6 for 19, two doubles, two home runs, three RBIs, eight strikeouts
Adam Frazier: 3 for 18, two RBIs, three strikeouts
Andrew McCutchen: 3 for 15, two doubles, two RBIs, three walks, seven strikeouts
Ke’Bryan Hayes: 2 for 9, two RBIs, four strikeouts
Isiah Kiner-Falefa: 2 for 7, one double, one RBI, two strikeouts
Joey Bart: 1 for 4, one double, one walk, one strikeout
Oneil Cruz: 1 for 3, one double, one strikeout
Tommy Pham: 1 for 3, one double, one walk

Tidbits

Thomas Harrington recorded a four-inning save in Monday’s win. He’s the first Pirates’ pitcher since Jason Christiansen on 7/17/1998 to do so.
Ke’Bryan Hayes extended his hitting streak to six games. He’s hitting .364 (8 for 22) with a double, a triple, a home run and five RBIs in six games in April. He hit just .125 (2 for 16) in March.
Joey Bart hit an RBI triple on Monday night. It was his first triple since 9/23/20 as a member of the Giants.