PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Pirates offense set a season high and Paul Skenes bounced back to overcome four errors, two by him in a 10-3 Pirates win over the Nationals Monday night.
After giving up a career-high five runs in his last outing, the 22-year-old allowed three hits and a hit batter over six innings allowing two runs, one earned and striking out six. Until the sixth inning, he had only given up a 77 mile-an-hour blooper. In that final inning of work, the Pirates committed three errors, one by Skenes, helping the Nats to their pair of runs.
"It was a team win," Skenes said. "Made some good plays and obviously a lot of offense and timely hitting. It's good. Just got to keep it rolling."
Skenes threw 99 pitches, 64 strikes getting his second win of the season and lowering his ERA under three.
Offense
Pirates got runs in the first inning off a Ke’Bryan Hayes two-out single.
Bryan Reynolds single drove in Oneil Cruz after his double in the third inning. Reynolds and Enmanuel Valdez drove in the runs in the fifth. Batting cleanup, Valdez would add a third RBI with a double in the eighth inning followed by a second and third RBI from Hayes on a two-run single.
"I think you saw it, I mean right from Cruzy’s first at-bat," said Pirates manager Derek Shelton. "I mean he hits the ball 115 right back through the middle. We scored some runs early and you look up at the scoreboard and Lord was at like 27 pitches, 35 pitches, so I think they took to heart ‘Okay, we’re going to go out and attack,' and it really, I think we saw it."
The 10 runs scored on Monday set a new season-high after scoring eight last Monday against the Cardinals. The last time they reached double-figures was August 28, 2024 in a 14-10 loss to the Cubs.
Defense
While Skenes (2), Hayes and Cruz had errors, there were also a couple of sparkling plays. Hayes prevented Skenes college teammate Dylan Crews from getting a single in the fifth inning on a slow roller up the line that he barehanded and got Crews by a half-a-step. Andrew McCutchen, who was on base three times, also made a diving catch in right on a sinking liner by Kelbert Ruiz in the sixth potentially preventing more runs from scoring.
Bullpen
Struggling in the first series of the year, the Pirates bullpen has stepped up recently. There were no earned runs allowed in 8.2 innings in Cincinnati. The bullpen ERA had dropped to 3.45 and 11th lowest in baseball (sixth lowest in the NL. Over the last 20.1 innings, the Bucs bullpen has allowed two earned runs.
Endy injured
Catcher Endy Rodriguez has started every game but one this year in just his second season playing first base and catching, but 10 pitches into Monday’s game, a pitch that hit Nationals left fielder James Wood deflected off Rodriguez’s right hand. He briefly got treatment, but had to leave the game with a laceration of his right index finger, replaced by Henry Davis. No further information given by the team.
Starting catcher Joey Bart missed the last few days with lower back injury while first base options Spencer Horwitz and Jared Triolo remain on the injured list.
1st first
The injury that allowed Davis in, meant Skenes throwing to Davis was the first time an MLB battery featured a pair of first overall draft picks.
“Yeah, cool to get the opportunity," Davis said. "Glad we got a win, it’s great.”
"He can call a game," Skenes said. "He can catch. He was prepared. It's not a surprise. I've been with him for the better part of two years now and you want to see why he's the type of player he is, you don't have to look very far. He's one of the most prepared players I've ever been around. For him to come into a tough situation, call the game and catch as well as he did — says a lot about him."
Triolo rehab
The infielder did his work in Pittsburgh on Monday and then he will go to Indianapolis and is expected to get right into games for a rehab assignment in AAA.
Up Next
Game 2 of the 4-game series with Mitch Keller (1-1, 4.24 ERA) against Jake Irvin (0-0, 5.63 ERA) with Dan Zangrilli hosting the North Shore Tavern Leadoff Show at 5:45 and first pitch on 93.7 The Fan at 6:40p.